The Fourth Rider
by Dragon eye21
Summary: Fate can be both cruel and kind. Harry has run from his life as the Boy Who Lived only to wake up in a strange land he knows nothing about. Can he survive as he always has? Warning: Violence, Dumbledore bashing, and Slash.
1. Chapter 1: A Ripple of Change

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing

**A/N: **Ok everyone! This is a new story that I've been toying with on the side for a while now when I feel in the mood. To those following my other stories, I apologize for taking so ungodly long to publish the next chapter but I just recently moved and have been busy settling in. I am still working on the next update for both my fics but thought you guys would like something to read since I had this finished. I know some didn't particularly like my first attempt at a crossover but to be honest that was a rather poor choice on my part. I hope this one is better as it starts off as a cross instead of just jumping right into one in the middle of the story.

**Please Note!**I have not read the final book in the inheritance cycle even though I really **REALLY** want to but alas I've had to make due. If my description of something does not match up to something in the last of the books I apologize. I did the best I could so don't be too harsh on me.

Anyways. I hope you guys like it. Please review and let me know what you think.

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CHAPTER ONE: A RIPPLE OF CHANGE

The waves of the ocean crashed against the shore in a gentle, endlessly persistent erosion. The ever-mighty power that was the element of water was the only witness to a single piece of driftwood that floated upon the calm waves. Upon this lonesome piece of wood clung an unconscious figure. His hair was darker than the space between the stars and a single, oddly shaped scar adorned the forehead of his young features. In the man's hand was an oddly shaped piece of wood and though the man was unconscious, his fingers never loosened their hold upon the stick. The driftwood the man was floating upon slowly made its way towards the sandy shore of land. The raven-haired man never stirred as he washed ashore. The bright light of the noonday sun shone down upon his unconscious form, warming his nearly frozen body. As heat returned to his battered form his ragged breathing slowly evened out and his eyelids began to flutter as his eyes rolled in their sockets as he battled dreams in his unconscious state.

A crunching sound suddenly disturbed the gentle washing of the waves. The unconscious man became suddenly alert and his eyes snapped wide open to reveal alert emerald orbs with pinpoint pupils. Though he was disoriented and confused, the man could sense danger. He had lived with it his entire life so he knew danger as if it were an integral part of him. The hairs on the back of his neck prickled and stood up. He was weak, that much he knew, but he was no stranger to strenuous situations and was well accustomed to fighting for his life when he was weary. Their came a second crunching sound and with it came the most repugnant smell he had ever come across and that was saying something. In a flash, the dark haired man shot to his knees and with a wordless shout, sent a jet of red light from the stick in his hand and in the direction of the source of the noise. Luckily, his aim was true and a strange, blue-skinned creature went flying a good ten yards away.

For a moment, the dark haired man knelt there staring at the strange creature. It looked half man, half beast. Horns protruded from his skull in strange twisting patterns. Its face was contorted to look inhuman while the rest of its body was bulging with muscles that threatened to shatter the plates of armor that were strapped to its chest and arms.

The disoriented and confused man didn't have more time to ponder the sheer oddity before him as it started to struggle to its feet. In mere seconds, the raven-haired man was on his feet and running quickly towards the forest he could see beyond the sandy beach. He had no idea what that creature had been but he knew he needed to leave it far behind. The only problem was that he hadn't the faintest idea of where he was. The land around him was so strange and unfamiliar. He had seen many pictures of distant and exotic lands but they were nothing like this. The trees, though they looked similar to ones he had seen many times before, held an ancient awareness to them that sent chills down his spine. The very air vibrated with an energy he had never felt before. It was all so strange and his confused and sluggish thoughts knew not what to make of it.

The man ran into the forest despite his fears. All around him, he could hear the chattering voices of the many animals that inhabited the trees and forest, protesting to his sudden dash through their territory. The only sound he paid attention to was the lumbering sounds of the beast that was following him. He knew not what it was but knew that nothing good would come from it capturing him. He sent more flashes of light over his shoulder in an attempt to impede the creature's progress. He couldn't help the satisfied grin that spread across his face when he heard an angry shout and then a tumbling roll as one of his missiles made contact. The man didn't let the small advantage get to him though and he ran on, continuing to fire more missiles of light over his shoulder, all designed to slow the progress of whatever the thing was that was following him.

Even after the sounds of the creature's pursuit had long since fallen silent, the stranger to this land continued his frantic pace, not about to allow himself to be captured. It was an ingrained instinct that he had learned very early in his life. _Never_ get caught. If you did then your life was in jeopardy. There was nothing else to it. Don't. Get. Caught. It was as simple as that. So he ran. He ran well beyond when his legs were numb and sore. He ran long after the sun had set and the moon had risen. He didn't stop running until he suddenly broke out of the dense forest and came upon a huge and abandoned city. He could feel a strange rotting sensation coming from the city, not a sensation he enjoyed. It reminded him too much of something from his past. Something sounded from behind him and the man quickly reacted by cracking his stick over his head. His form shimmered before it seemed to vanish entirely. Satisfied that nothing would be able to see him now, the man quickly went into the city to seek shelter.

He didn't want to be in this disturbing city but he had no choice. He had no clue where he was or how he had ended up here and he was being chased by strange creatures. Therefore, he quietly made his way through the abandoned city streets. He didn't go near any of the buildings that he passed as he could sense things within, things that sensed him but couldn't see him. The man quickly but quietly made his way towards the largest structure in the city, the one place that didn't fill him with dread. It looked like a castle but not at the same time. It was made of stone and set into the side of a mountain. It was certainly large enough to be considered a castle but it wasn't shaped like any he had ever seen before so he couldn't be sure. As it was though, he quickly slipped past the destroyed doors and slid into its shadowy depths.

He liked castles. They were big and held many places in which he could easily conceal himself. The only downfall was that his enemies could do the same. Still, he was good at hiding; always had been. As he wandered through the dusty and dark halls until he came to a room that didn't give him the creeps and whose door was relatively intact. It was deep within the castle like structure which was good and high up as well. The dark haired man slipped inside and shut the door. He waved his stick over the door, repairing any faults it may have, before giving one last flick, causing the door to seal itself, preventing anyone from accessing the room. The man turned then to the rest of the room. A window was set into the wall opposite him and let in the faint moonlight, allowing him to see that the room was empty save for him and some scattered pieces of furniture. He held up his stick and light appeared on the end of it, illuminating the room even more than it was. He sighed in relief when he saw that neither his instincts nor eyes had led him astray. The room was empty and he was safe, for now.

"How do I get myself into these things?" He asked himself quietly as he settled down in a bare corner on the wall opposite the door and at such an angle where he would be prepared to defend himself should he be attacked. He truly was in dire straits. He had no food, no knowledge of his whereabouts or how he came to be here and mere fleeting memories of events that had transpired before he suddenly appeared in this strange land. He could easily defend himself but unless he acquired either assistance or knowledge of his surroundings, he would quickly become something else's meal. It was with these troubled thoughts that he fell into a restless sleep.

Several hours later, the dark haired man woke with a start. Something had disturbed his sanctuary. He didn't sense danger. No, he could always sense when danger was near. Still, something had disturbed his fitful rest. He peered into the gloom of his sanctuary. The sun was beginning to peak over the horizon and so he was allowed a little more light to see with, he didn't want to use too much for risk of attracting unwanted attention from unknown creatures. Nothing had changed from his brief glimpse from earlier. Shattered furniture and destroyed remains of what looked to be spears and shields littered the room but other than that, there was nothing. He checked the door from where he sat and was satisfied that it was still sealed and undisturbed. So what had disturbed him?

There! This time it was clear and audible. It was a squeaking and rattling sound. He looked around the room again but saw nothing. There wasn't even anything that a mouse or the like could hide in or under. Cautiously, the dark haired man got up and sidled over to the window and peered through it without revealing himself. Nothing, yet the squeaking sounds persisted. He listened closely and managed to discern that they were coming from the other side of the room. After ensuring that he still could not be seen, the man walked past the window and followed the squeaking and scratching sounds. They led him to a section of wall. He shifted his stick from his right hand to his left and cautiously placed his hand and ear against the stone wall. The sounds he was hearing were definitely coming from the other side. Unable to fight his curiosity, the raven-haired man ran his hand over the cold stone of the castle wall, searching for a secret switch or something of the like, hoping that he would not have to leave his sanctuary.

His hopes were granted when his sensitive touch felt a flaw in the stone that wouldn't be there naturally and had to be intentionally placed. He pressed on the flaw in the stone and quickly stepped back, stick in front of him, as a section of the stone wall slid away to reveal a small, yet deep cubby. Inside was the most beautiful black stone he had ever seen. It was about a foot long and shone brilliantly in the early morning rays. It was such a deep shade of black that the man knew he could spend hours upon hours gazing into its depths and would never get bored. His hands reflexively shot out and caught the stone as it gave a violent lurch and fell out of its hiding place. The man felt no threat coming from the stone so he placed his stick into his pants pocket where he could easily retrieve it should he need it and walked back over to the corner he had claimed as his and sat down.

The stone gave another twitch and proceeded to squeak and the green-eyed man realized that he was holding an egg not a stone. This gave the man great pause as he considered that fact. He knew of only one race of creature that would have a stone like egg that was this large. Given the fact that he was in a strange land he knew nothing about he knew all too well that he could be wrong but he didn't think so. With this in mind, the man felt both a little safer as he was given a sense of familiarity and a little more afraid as he had no idea what would happen if the thing were to hatch, which it looked ready to do. He could raise it, have the thing inside be friendly towards him, but that would likely only last a few months until the creature grew too large to manage. When that happened the thing would likely end up killing him, either intentionally or unintentionally. His heart was too big though. Whether it would kill him or not, he couldn't let a potentially benevolent creature starve.

His thoughts were diverted when he felt the egg beneath his fingers crack. He quickly set the on the floor in front of him and waited. He would've kept holding the egg but he didn't want the creature to start fumbling in his hands and end up wounding him. More cracks spread along the surface of the egg until the shiny black shell was riddled with them. Slowly, some of the pieces chipped away before they all just crumbled to reveal the very thing the man thought the egg contained. A gorgeous black dragon, no bigger than the egg, with glittering black scales that shone in the faint light of dawn, stood where the egg once was. It had a row of black spikes running from head to tail and two nubs of horns protruded from the top of the dragons head. Midnight wings were folded against the dragon's sides, giving its body a slightly distorted look. Two white fangs protruded from its upper jaw and the claws on its feet were as white as snow when compared to its ebony scales. Two glittering and gem like black eyes surveyed the room before they turned to him as if he were entirely visible when he knew he wasn't.

"Hello little one," The man said in a soft voice so as to not scare the beautiful dragon.

He gently held out his right hand for the creature to sniff. It eyed him with far too intelligent eyes for a long moment before it gently touched its snout to the palm of his hand. White-hot pain lanced through his entire system. He had experienced such searing pain before but this was different. He could sense some… _thing_ make its way through his mind, body, and soul, searching for something while binding with him at the same time. It wound around his very being and became a part of him. It was strange and invasive yet he felt no hostility from this invading presence and it actually felt quite comforting, almost as if he had spent his entire life as only half a being and was now being united with his other half. It was a strange thing to experience but it had only lasted a few moments. When his vision cleared, the man found himself lying on his side with the black dragon lying next to him, staring at him with those black, gemlike eyes.

"Curious one, aren't you?" The man asked with a tender smile. He had never heard of a dragon encounter like that before. The dragon squeaked at him in response to his query.

The man froze slightly when he felt something brush up against his mind. He held back briefly and examined the contacting presence. It was vast and alien to him but he felt no hostility from it. Indeed, he actually felt a great curiosity coming from the mental probe. A little hesitant the man approached the mental contact and touched it in an attempt to find out where it was coming from. The mind that touched his was great indeed. He felt massive amounts of power coursing through the mind, along with sensations of curiosity and a ravenous hunger. He also caught brief glimpses of ancient memories of a long forgotten era. The blood of war, the peace of alliance, and the sting of betrayal all swirled within these ancient memories. Amazed, the green-eyed man looked down at the dragon.

"You are certainly no dragon I've ever met," The man remarked as he gently rubbed a finger along the top of the dragon's head, between the eyes. It squeaked happily and the man felt pleasure radiate from the mental contact and that only served to strengthen his belief that it was the dragon's mind that had touched with his own. A loud grumbling sound suddenly radiated from the dragons stomach and it squeaked in protest. "I'm sorry little one," The man said with great regret. "But I don't have any food." The dragon squeaked unhappily. "Perhaps some water will help abate the hunger until we can find some food,"

The man said as he dug out his stick. He pointed it at a broken chair leg and gave it a slight twist. The piece of wood shimmered briefly before morphing into a small bowl. With another gesture from his stick, the bowl was filled with crystal clear water. He slid the bowl forward and offered it to the dragon, who drank from it gratefully. The man felt the raging hunger subside slightly and he was glad that he had managed to help a little bit. When the dragon had drained the bowl, it went over to the man and curled up in his lap. He smiled down at it lovingly and stroked its head as he tried to think of a way to get some food for the creature. Unfortunately, since he didn't know anything about the land he didn't know what was edible and what wasn't.

Carefully the man stood, cradling the dragon in his arms, and went over to the window and surveyed the land in the light of a new day. Far off in the distance he could see another land mass, one that looked quite large. This made him suspect that he was on an island of some sort. Sadly, though the land looked to be dozens of miles off shore from where he was currently so he nixed any thought of trying to sail across the sea in an attempt to find safer pastures along with food. That left him with whatever could be found on the island and that presented him with an annoying little quandary. He needed food but he didn't particularly want to leave the safety this room provided him. He didn't know what dangers lurked on this island or how powerful they might be. He also didn't want to leave his newfound friend alone and in possible danger, nor did he wish to take it out there where something far large than it could tear it to pieces.

As if some deity had taken pity upon him and his plight, the man looked down to the courtyard area in front of the castle and saw an animal that he easily recognized as a deer grazing. Reacting quickly, the man snapped out his stick and gestured at the deer. It instantly fell dead to the ground, its neck having snapped at the man's gesture. It was a brutal and unfair way to hunt but the man was not about to pass up on an opportunity for free food. With another flick of his stick, the dead deer shot into the air and through the window into the room. The man laid the deer down on the floor. After several flicks of his stick, the deer was skinned, its horns removed, and was prepared to be cooked. The man set the deer floating in the air above a glowing orange fire. As it floated unsupported in the air, the deer continuously rotated so it would cook evenly.

At the smell of cooking food, the dragon, who had fallen into a light doze in his arms, perked its head up with eager anticipation. Several times the silly creature had attempted to launch itself from his arms and onto the cooking carcass but each time the man restrained it and held it to his chest.

"Patience little one," The man said with a chuckle after the dragon's fourth attempt to get at the food. "You will have your share but let it cook first. I realize you likely don't need for the food to be cooked but I do and I would prefer to simply cook it all at once and be done with it. Not to mention that this will have to sustain us both for a while until I can figure out how to obtain a steadier source of food."

As if it had understood every word he had said, the dragon grumbled petulantly but settled down to wait within his comforting arms. The man realized then that this was definitely not the kind of dragon that he was used to dealing with or rather, what he had come to expect to deal with. It was far too intelligent for it to be merely a mythical animal that raged uncontrollably. This was something else, something more. It had thoughts and feelings. It could understand the things he said even if it couldn't actively speak, be it mentally or physically. As they finally started eating, the man stared at the little creature in amazement and had to wonder how something so spectacular could have ended up bonding with him.

A curious squeak came from the dragon and pulled the man out of his thoughts. He looked down to see the dragon staring at him curiously, its tail flicking back and forth, almost like a cats.

"What?" He questioned with a small chuckle. He knew it didn't want any more food as he could no longer feel the ravenous hunger that had come across their mental bond. Another squeak and a mental image of him interspersed with confused curiosity came from the dragon. "Who am I?" He clarified. His belief that this dragon was far more intelligent than any he had previously met was growing stronger. A happy squeak followed by positive feelings coming across their link informed him that he had guessed right. The man sighed briefly and stared out the window at the sunny sky in thought before answering.

"My name is Harry Potter." He said heavily. That name had brought him a great deal of pain and strife.

The dragon squeaked in curiosity at his bitter tone as it climbed into his lap and nuzzled his chest. Harry had no doubt that the little creature could feel things from him just as he got from it. In response to its silent inquiry, Harry showed it flashes of his life. How he had been raised by people who hated him. How he had been rescued from their clutches only to be shoved violently into a world that constantly put him on some glorified pedestal only to yank him down every chance they got, and how he had finally had enough of the wizarding world and ran away from everything when he was only fifteen. He had only managed to spend a few days on his own before his old mentor, Albus Dumbledore, had tracked him down and attempted to force him back to the world he had left behind. Unwilling to comply though, Harry had attacked the unsuspecting man. He disarmed him, took his wand and fled to the sea where he stowed away on a ship. Those were the last clear images Harry could remember before he woke up on the beach in this strange land.

The dragon stared at him with black, mournful eyes and attempted to sooth the hurt it could feel coming from its bonded by wrapping its wings around Harry in a hug. Harry smiled and hugged the little creature back.

"Well," Harry said as he looked down at the dragon's cute and adorable face that was angular and roughly shaped like a triangle. "I suppose you'll need a name won't you?" A positive squeak came from the dragon and stared eagerly at Harry. "In order to give you one though, I have to know one tiny little thing first," Harry cast spells over the remaining meat from their meal to preserve it and prevent it from going bad. He also cast spells over the deer hide to clean it, treat it, and preserve it, effectively creating a deerskin rug/blanket in mere seconds. He hadn't relished in killing the creature but he needed food. The dragon in his lap squeaked curiously, wondering what Harry needed to know before he could give it a name. Harry chuckled and said, "I need to know if you are a boy," He sent a generic picture of a boy to the dragon. "Or a girl." He sent a generic picture of a girl. The dragon squeaked in understanding and returned the image of a generic boy.

"A boy eh?" Harry mused as he settled them down on the deerskin rug in the corner of the room. He prattled off a few names as he admired the shining silver mark that had appeared on his palm after the initial contact he had made with the dragon. It was rather strange and he couldn't help but wonder why it had appeared, though he suspected that it had something to do with his new bond. "Awfully picky aren't you?" Harry joked when the dragon had rejected all the names he had provided. "How about Scáth then?" The dragon squeaked in curiosity. "It's from a language in the land where I come from called Irish. It means shadow. I avoided it before since it is somewhat common, despite the different language." The dragon thought on it for a few moments before it seemed to purr in happiness and started butting Harry's hand, demanding to be petted. "Scáth it is then," Harry chuckled and obliged Scáth and began stroking his head.

–Scene Break–

Harry stood in front of the enlarged window of the room that had become his home over the past three and a half months. Scáth's growth had been explosive during the past three and a half months so Harry had been forced to expand both the room and the window so he could still fit in their safe haven. It wasn't enough though. With Scáth's growth, he required more food, food that was difficult to come by on this dangerous island. Not to mention that the longer they stayed on the island, the more dangerous things became. Harry could feel the eyes of the islands inhabitants watching the castle and not all of them were friendly. Several times those blue-skinned creatures had attempted to storm the castle to find both him and Scáth and it was only because of his great advantage point that Harry was able to ward them off by sending powerful curses into their midst that caused several of them to either die instantly or explode, showering their brethren with blood and gore.

That was something else that Harry had noticed over the past three and a half months. Both he and his magic had changed since he had bonded with Scáth. Despite what people thought back in his world, Harry was very well read. He had spent countless hours hidden away in Hogwarts' library reading many books on anything and everything, so he knew that the Elder Wand he had procured from Dumbledore before fleeing to the sea would augment his power, making him stronger. Ever since he had came to this land and bonded with Scáth though, his power seemed to have expanded exponentially. Oh, he still had limits, there was no doubt about that, but his spells were _much_ more powerful than they had been, even with the Elder Wand. In addition, he could now freely see into the minds of other beings. It was as if the walls surrounding his mind had fallen away, allowing his mind to roam wherever it pleased. He could re-erect the walls and conceal his mind from the world but given his current surroundings, that left him at a major disadvantage. Therefore, he left himself open and alert to the world around him. He never managed to gain any real information about anything more than the creatures themselves. He had learned that the blue-skinned creatures were called Urgals. Not that that gave him any real information but it was still nice to know what he was dealing with.

"Can you feel it?" He asked aloud as he stared at the landscape before him. The forest on the island spread out below him and led to the calm wash of the sea and beyond that rested the hazy line of what Harry presumed to be a continent, or at the very least an extremely large island. A continent seemed more plausible though.

_Yes_, a deep rumbling voice sounded from within Harry's head as Scáth walked up to stand beside him. The dragon was lean yet strong, lithe yet firm. His black scales sparkled dazzlingly in the light of the setting sun and appeared to be almost multicolored as tiny flecks of dark purple, dark green, dark blue, and dark red shone in the bright sunlight. Scáth now stood a good deal taller than Harry did. The dragon's shoulder was several heads higher than his was. Its giant claws could wrap completely around his body with ease and could shred him to pieces with little trouble at all. His wings, when spread in flight, were several times larger than his body. As Scáth grew and he and Harry became closer, the dragon had gained the ability to speak words with his mind, allowing them to communicate easily with each other, even if they weren't near each other, which was extremely rare. _We are being called._

_But by what and to where?_ Harry inquired as he examined the far off shoreline of the mainland. For the past day or so, both he and Scáth had felt this strong urge to make for the mainland.

_The only way to know is to follow the pull._ Scáth reasoned wisely.

"And if it leads us to danger?" Harry asked aloud.

_That is why we approach with caution and under the cover of night when we are all but invisible._ Scáth said logically.

_Are you strong enough to make such a trip without stopping?_ Harry questioned with concern. He didn't want Scáth to suddenly collapse from exhaustion and be swallowed by the sea. _From what I see there aren't any places where you could stop to rest._

Scáth was silent for a few moments as he surveyed the landscape and judged the distance between the island and the shoreline. _I could easily make the distance by myself_, he said eventually. _But with your added weight, I would likely tire quicker and the chances of reaching the shore before I needed to rest decrease._

_And if my weight wasn't a factor?_

_I'll not leave you here to fend for yourself, no matter how capable you are._ Scáth said with steel in his voice as he glared at Harry.

_I didn't say you would,_ Harry explained calmly, not at all perturbed by the harsh glare he was receiving. _I asked if the problem of my weight were removed from the situation if could you make the distance?_

_Hmmm, yes but I don't see how your weight could be removed from the situation without removing yourself. _Scáth said with a hint of a question to his voice.

"You forget my jeweled shadow," Harry said with a smile at his bonded dragon. "That I am not native to this land and I know many magical spells and it just so happens that I know one that will make me no heavier than a single feather."

Scáth laughed deep in his throat, making it sound like thunder was rolling through the sky. _Indeed, I had forgotten. When do you think we should leave?_

_Now,_ Harry said as he went over to their pile of food. He started wrapping it in the giant skin blanket that he had made from the various animals, mostly deer they had caught, killed, and ate. _There is no reason to delay and something tells me that the longer we wait then something bad is liable to happen._

_I agree,_ Scáth said as he crouched down and allowed Harry to tie a rope around his neck so he could carry the makeshift bag of food. He was delighted to note that the bag, which should have been at least fifty pounds, was no heavier than the rope it was tied with. _The weather is perfect for the trip as well. The sky is clear for many leagues in all directions so we should have an easy flight. _Harry could feel an eagerness coming from Scáth. The two of them had never been flying together as it was dangerous with so many enemies around and before now, Scáth had not been big enough for Harry to ride.

_I believe we will,_ Harry said with a nod as he climbed up Scáth's foreleg to settle in the gap of the dragon's spikes where his neck met his shoulders.

_I'm concerned about you freezing though,_ Scáth said as he stood up and approached the edge of the enlarged window. He felt Harry's weight lesson considerably. _Winter is quickly spreading through the lands and we will be travelling at night which will be much colder than if we did so during the day. _

_Oh, don't worry about that._ Harry answered offhandedly as he spoke foreign words aloud. His pants thickened slightly and became extraordinarily durable. He wasn't about to risk skinning his legs on Scáth's scales. _I have spells that will warm my clothing should the cold become too much. _

_Very well,_ Scáth said as he crouched low in preparation of leaping out of the room. _Are you ready?_

"Let us fly my friend," Harry said with a big smile on his face.

Scáth grinned happily and leaped from the room. They dropped towards the ground for one terrifying moment but then Scáth snapped his wings open and gave two powerful strokes. Harry's heart raced happily in his chest as they climbed higher into the sky. In his opinion, it had been far too long since he had flown and he was happy to do so once again. Riding a dragon though was vastly different from riding a broomstick. He could feel the sinuous muscles of Scáth's body shift and move beneath his clenching thighs as the mighty dragon battled gravity for several more minutes before they leveled out and rode the wind currents as a ship rode the waves. He could hear Scáth's wings strain slightly as they pounded against the air a few times before stretching to simply glide and catch the currents in the air.

"Oh how I love flying," Harry mused happily, as he sat up from clutching Scáth's neck. He closed his eyes and just enjoyed the sensations of being in the air. The wind rushing past his face and the soft thud of Scáth's wings as they kept them balanced.

_Did you fly often before you came to this land?_ Scáth questioned in a neutral voice but Harry could detect a flicker of jealousy from the mighty dragon.

_Only on brooms dear one,_ Harry said with a chuckle as he patted the scaly neck beneath him.

_Brooms?_ Scáth questioned as he gave Harry a confused look over his shoulder. Harry chuckled again and showed Scáth an image of him riding a broom back at Hogwarts. _You rode a stick?_

_Yes, _Harry chuckled as he surveyed the passing landscape. They had already passed the island's borders and were well out to sea. _They were enchanted to fly. Their main use was for witches and wizards to play a game while riding them._

_Interesting,_ Scáth remarked and the two fell into companionable silence.

Into the night they flew. The lack of moon made it impossible for anything that might be observing the night sky to see them. When they were half way between the island and the mainland, Harry finally had to pull out his stick he used to cast spells with and charmed his clothing to radiate a faint heat to ward off the chill of the winter night. Before he put it away he cast a few spells over the rope holding their food to repair any damage rubbing against Scáth's scales might have made and then to strengthen the rope's integrity so it would last longer before he would have to make any more repairs.

_You know_, Scáth said a while after Harry had stowed the stick. Scáth caught an up draft and rose a little higher. They had finally reached the shoreline and were now following whatever was calling to them over land and towards a mountain range. _You never did explain what exactly that little piece of wood is and how it allows you to perform magic so effortlessly. _

_I'm surprised you haven't figured that out already from my thoughts and memories._ Harry remarked in mild surprise as he surveyed the land passing beneath him. Scáth and him were so intimately connected and bound that they rarely didn't know what the other was thinking.

_You have never actively talked about it,_ Scáth explained as he turned a little more towards north, guided by the pulling sensation. _And I would never pillage your mind just for answers to my questions. Furthermore, I sensed that it was connected with your past, which is a sensitive subject for you and I wished not to pry. Besides, it has never really mattered._

_Thank you,_ Harry said, suddenly emotional. He leaned forward and hugged Scáth's neck.

The black dragon hummed happily but asked nonetheless, _What for?_

_For respecting my privacy like that,_ Harry explained not bothering to end the hug. _Despite the intimacy of our bond, you chose not to take advantage of it. No one has ever respected me like that and I can't tell you how much it means to me that you did so. _

_If I do not respect you, I do not respect myself,_ Scáth rumbled with pleasure and anger coming across their mental link; pleasure at the hug and gratitude coming from Harry and anger at those who had treated his bonded so poorly. _You are a part of me little one, as much as I am a part of you. But this does not mean we are not separate individuals as well. No longer will you have to fear of people disrespecting you in such ways. I will ensure that. _

_Thank you, _Harry whispered quietly, his hug tightening. Scáth rumbled deep in his throat, almost as if he were purring. _In answer to your query though, this little piece of wood, as you call it, is called a wand where I come from. It allows a witch or wizard to channel their innate magic and bend it to their will through the use of certain words or spells. This particular wand though, was never initially mine. It has a long and bloody history among my people, though they had come to believe it only myth. After causing much strife for many people, the wand came to rest in the hands of the man who I once considered my mentor._

_The man with the long white beard and hair I saw in the images you showed me when I had first hatched? _Scáth interjected gently. _The man who confronted you when you ran away?_

_Yes, that is him,_ Harry answered with a nod of his head. _His name is Albus Dumbledore. He was the… head teacher I suppose you would say, at a school I attended. It wasn't until him that the wand had started being used for good things instead of merely causing bloodshed. _

_Why did you take it from him then?_ Scáth asked in mild confusion as he silently started to descend towards a small valley nestled in the mountain range. Harry could see small pinpricks of light behind his eyes indicating minds below.

_He did something I couldn't forgive,_ Harry explained, the hurt evident in his voice. _And if I hadn't he would have forced me to return with him to a world I have come to hate with a passion. _

_I am sorry little one,_ Scáth said sadly and left it at that.

As they approached the valley, the tiny lights behind Harry's eyes grew stronger and he was able to discern that they belonged to actual humans. There was a great deal of confusion, concern and fear resting in those minds. There was a cluster of minds within a single, two story house (though Harry couldn't see it given his altitude and the moonless night) that were the strongest. Harry guessed this was because they were all awake and talking. From the jumbled thoughts of at least four different minds, Harry was able to deduce that something strange and big had happened two days ago, which resulted in a farmhouse being blown apart and one of the villagers being gravely injured.

_Evil has passed through this valley,_ Scáth remarked darkly as he circled the small little village silently.

_How can you tell?_ Harry asked as he continued to examine the minds in the valley. He was surprised to learn that this land he had so mysteriously appeared in was devoid of anything even remotely technological and that if it existed in his world, it would likely have existed in medieval times, long before technology existed.

_I can sense it,_ Scáth explained. _And the house you saw in their minds, I can see from up here. Not well mind, but I can see the tracks of one of my kin around the remains of the house but no sane being of my race would have wrought such mindless destruction. _

_Why not? _Harry asked as he examined the recent memories of the sickly person everyone in the two-story house was concerned about. Images of an ancient war flashed through his mind from Scáth.

_Because of ancient oaths and promises,_ Scáth answered vaguely but Harry didn't press. He knew there was much about this world that he was unaware of but there would be time for information gathering later. Right now, he needed to concern himself with a rather interesting fact. Two minds within the valley, one in the second story house and one elsewhere, were aware of his presence and while one reflexively flinched away from his presence, the other circumvented his probing presence and attempted invade his mind in an attempt to discover who exactly he was.

_Perhaps you could simply ask your questions,_ Harry sniped to the invading presence as he swatted it aside like an annoying fly. Privately to Scáth he added, _Find a safe place to land and rest. The pulling sensation is leading to that two story house and I'm guessing that I'm supposed to help the person they're all concerned about. _

_Agreed but guard your back,_ Scáth said as he angled towards the forest surrounding the village. _The ones that did this are likely to be in the area still. _

_I will,_ Harry promised as he ducked a branch as Scáth entered the forest. _But you guard your back as well and stay hidden. _

When he landed, Harry slid down Scáth's front leg and untied the food. He then cast a spell over both the food and Scáth, making them impossible to see. After a parting hug, Harry wove through the trees towards town, making himself invisible as he did so. As he neared the house where the sickly person was slowly fading away, Harry felt that previous invading presence touch his mind again.

_Who are you? _The presence asked in shocked wonder.

_Why should I divulge my secrets to a complete stranger?_ Harry retorted as he snuck silently through the front door and up the stairs. _One, I might add, that did not even bother ask me anything before attempting to pry into my mind._

_I have my reasons boy! _The voice snapped irritably. _And I could say the same to you, prying into innocent minds like you are._

_As you said,_ Harry said with a smirk as he slid into the sick room were an aged man with graying hair laid on a bed, clinging to life. A woman sat in a rocking chair with a pair of knitting needles resting unused in her lap. Another woman, younger than the first, knelt in front of a fire with a pot of melting snow and a pile of clean rags. He quietly snuck over to the sick man and began casting spells in order to determine what exactly was wrong. _I have my reasons. I, at least, did not attempt to force myself into your mind once I was aware of the fact that you were aware of me._ _I understand that it would be considered immoral to go filtering through defenseless minds but it is better to be aware and prepared than blind and dead because you didn't see an attack coming from behind you. _

The voice went silent at that and Harry started casting several powerful healing spells. That was one of the first things he had studied after the happenings of his second year at Hogwarts. He wanted to know as many healing spells as possible in case he ever needed them, which was a big possibility when you considered the luck he had. In a matter of moments, the man's fever reduced drastically and several of the burns that littered his flesh mended themselves. Memories of how the man had become like this flashed through Harry's mind from the man on the bed and he fought to hold his stomach. He felt Scáth's rage and hatred run through him when he saw flashes of the cloaked figures through Harry. He wanted to question the dragon about it but he didn't have the opportunity right now. He could feel the other person in the valley that was aware of his mental presence approaching the room. The shields surrounding the mind, keeping it blind to the world around it, weren't very strong so Harry was able to catch various scattered images. He saw a frenzied and terrified flight into the mountain range called The Spine that surrounded the valley on the back of a young dragon.

Since he couldn't dash from the room, Harry backed himself into a dark corner of the room. Seconds later the door slid inwards to reveal a brown haired boy about Harry's height with brown hair and eyes. He walked stiffly and with a slight limp in both legs. Harry noted that the boys thighs bulged oddly, indicating that both were wrapped due to injury. Harry suspected that the flight he had undergone with his dragon had stripped his thighs of flesh. The boy turned to look at Harry's corner but was unable to see anything. A confused expression travelled across the boy's face. He could obviously sense Harry's mind in the corner since it was pressing against his as it blanketed the entire town.

_He is like me isn't he?_ Harry asked Scáth. They had never discussed their bond before as they were both more concerned with staying alive than anything else.

_Yes,_ Scáth answered in an almost revered tone. _He, like you, is a Dragon Rider._

_And the other one who can sense my mind?_

_I am not sure._ Scáth said hesitantly. _He has attempted to locate my mind and speak with me but I have evaded him, unsure of whether he is friend or not. I sense a diminished power within him though. At the very least, he is a potent figure. He should be treated with caution. You should also know that I can sense this young Rider's dragon nearby. She has yet to notice me but I have managed to catch snippets of conversation between her and her rider. They are discussing your presence and the creatures that attacked the man you just saved._

_Do you know of those creatures? _Harry asked curiously. He wanted to ask about what being a Dragon Rider was and what it entailed but that was a discussion they could have at a later date.

_Only what my broken ancestral memories have shown me,_ Scáth answered after a moment's thought._ I know they are very dangerous creatures and should be obliterated from existence completely. They are vile creatures that would not hesitate to slit your throat while you sleep. _

_Hmmm,_ Harry hummed in thought. _Well I cannot sense them in the valley. Are you able to?_

There was a few moments of silence and Harry observed the boy as he went over to the bed and stared down at the face of what Harry presumed to be a relative of some kind. The boy stared in shock when he saw that the burns had diminished or disappeared. He laid a hand to the man's head and his jaw dropped when he felt that the fever had gone down drastically.

"Gertrude!" The boy said in shock causing the woman in the rocking chair to jerk awake, which caused her knitting to fall to the floor. The other girl in the room looked up from her place by the fire and washing rags. "Gertrude, tell me I'm not seeing things."

"What're you talking about Eragon?" The woman, Gertrude, asked as she got up and went over to the bed.

"His burns, they're gone. And his fever has broke," Eragon whispered. There was a hint of desperation to his voice, as if he wanted nothing more than for Gertrude to confirm what his eyes were telling his brain.

_No, I cannot sense them in the valley anywhere,_ Scáth answered Harry as the occupants of the room rushed about the bed in shock and wonder.

_Then we should be safe for now, though it would be a safe bet that they will eventually return._ Harry reasoned as he managed to extract himself from the quickly crowding room.

_Agreed,_ Scáth said and there were a few more minutes of silence before he asked, _what was wrong with him?_

_Those creatures that attacked him used some sort of oil to burn his flesh,_ Harry answered as he ducked aside a rushing woman on the stairs. _From his memories, I saw that they managed to force some of it down his throat, though thankfully not a lot. That coupled with a night unprotected in the snow is what was causing his fever. I managed to clear his system of the burning oil and heal most of the damage. The rest of it is up to him but he has a much better chance of surviving than he would if I hadn't healed him. _

_You are very skilled little one,_ Scáth said with pride and pleasure in his voice.

Harry's face flushed as he snuck out the front door, only to come face to face with a silver haired, blued eyed man with a long beard and a curved staff. He had a penetrating look on his face and a sapphire ring with a strange symbol on it that Harry had never seen before on his right hand. The man looked uncannily like Dumbledore that for a brief moment Harry thought his old mentor had somehow managed to track him down to this strange land. However, Harry quickly shook his mind of such thoughts for they were foolish. He knew that this man was the one he had been speaking with mentally earlier, a belief aided by the fact that the man was staring right at him. Given that their minds were brushing against each other, the man obviously knew that Harry was standing there but he was astounded over the fact that he couldn't see anyone. The aged looking man extended a gnarled hand, the one that wasn't holding his staff, and reached out in an attempt touch what he couldn't see.

"One shouldn't touch what one can't see," Harry whispered quietly as he dodged the hand and stepped fully outside, allowing the door to close. "You never know if it's going to bite." The man jumped at the voice and again when Harry allowed his spell to fade and he became visible once more. Harry smirked at the reactions before turning and walking away.

"Who are you?" The man asked once again, though a slight amount of respect laced his voice this time. "And where did you come from?"

"Neither of your queries are your concerns," Harry answered as he stowed his wand and he eyed the man next to him as they walked towards the forest where Scáth waited in the shadows of the pines. "Especially since you have offered naught but disrespect towards me."

The man seemed to bristle at Harry's words but his tone remained calm when he spoke again near the forests edge. "I apologize for my rudeness. My name is Brom." He held out his hand with the ring on it for Harry to shake.

"Harry," Harry returned after a few moments. He briefly shook the old man's hand but when Harry made to pull his hand back, Brom unexpectedly latched onto his wrist and forced Harry's palm upward revealing the shining silver mark that had been there ever since Harry had encountered Scáth as a hatchling. A deep rumbling growl that radiated from the shadows of the forest was the only warning Brom received before he had a face full of hot dragon breath and was staring at mouth full of razor sharp fangs. "It would be wise of you not to make any threatening gestures towards me." Harry said as he pulled his wrist free from Brom's limp fingers.

"I can see that," Brom whispered softly, never taking his eyes from those pearly white fangs. "I did not realize you were a Rider before now. My apologies," Scáth huffed out a plum of black smoke but backed off nonetheless and retreated so most of his form was hidden but his eyes never left Brom.

"What do you want from me?" Harry asked as he surveyed the surrounding area for any signs of observers.

"My initial intent was to determine whether or not you were a threat," Brom explained as he glanced between Scáth and Harry. "Now I am curious as to how you came across your dragon."

"And why is it you wish to know that?" Harry asked in the hopes of wheedling out some answers to his many questions. Scáth, having been nothing more than a hatchling when Harry came to this land, was not that much help when it came to learning of where he was and what was going on around him. The ancestral memories that the dragon possessed were only good for a faint background of the land but not the name of the country they were in or any present situations.

"Shouldn't the answer to that be rather obvious?" Brom asked with a reproachful look on his face. Harry raised a defiant eyebrow and glared at the man, not willing to let on to the fact that he knew little to nothing of the world around him. "Surely you know that the dragons have been all but extinct since the Riders fall?"

Scáth growled unhappily and Harry received images of a vicious war between two different sects of Riders. Harry was about to respond but something caught his attention in his mind's eye. The light that had represented the wounded man suddenly flickered out. Anguish poured from the boy Harry knew to be Eragon. Harry's heart lurched for the boy. He knew what it was like to lose someone you cared for. He sighed deeply with sadness but a grim smile spread over his face when Scáth gently rubbed his nose along Harry's arm.

"Be that as it may," Harry said turning his attention back to the man before him. "Answers will have to wait for later. The young Rider Eragon just lost someone dear to him. I suggest you go comfort him."

"Garrow died?" Brom questioned in shock.

"Aye," Harry answered as he grabbed the sack of food and threw it over his shoulder before climbing onto Scáth's back. "The boy grieves greatly and I wouldn't put it past him to do something reckless given his youth and inexperience."

"And what of you?" Brom questioned with an uncertain tone in his voice, as if he was torn between going to the Eragon boy and staying with Harry. "Where are you going?"

"For now, we will wait, and we will watch," Harry said enigmatically before Scáth leaped into the air and disappeared into the night sky. Brom watched them for a few minutes before turning and walking back into town.


	2. Chapter 2: Answers and Swords

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing

**A/N: **Hmmm... Ok I admit it! I may have spent a little more time on this story line than just occasionally. I actually started it a month or two ago and just didn't decide to publish it until recently. I only posted one chapter because I wanted everyone's opinion on the story before I posted the rest. Soooo... I'll have the other chapters I've finished posted today as well.

Enjoy and lemme know what you think :-)

* * *

CHAPTER TWO: ANSWERS AND SWORDS

_It is a shame that the sick one could not make it,_ Scáth said once they leveled out over the valley.

_I agree,_ Harry responded solemnly. _I guess the strain of everything was just too much for his system to handle. _

_So what do we do now?_ Scáth questioned as he glided lazily on the air currents in no particular direction.

_This Brom person does not strike me as an enemy,_ Harry said slowly as he looked to the east and the rising sun. He loved sunrises and the way they danced colors across the sky. _He strikes me as a generally kind person and he could answer a good deal of our questions. _

_How are we to get him to answer them without revealing that you are not from this land? It would not be wise to spread that around. _Scáth said as he banked to circle back over the vale below them.

_While I agree that we shouldn't spread that around,_ Harry said as he shifted the sack of meat to his front so he could hold onto it better. _I fear that we will not be able to get our answers without telling at least one person._

_Hmmm, _Scáth said as he looked down to the village, his keen eyesight allowing him to see people's movements in the dim rays of morning light. He was silent for several minutes before he spoke again. _I fear you are right and I see no other course. We cannot afford to remain ignorant. I may know some facts about this lands history but I have been detached from it for so many long years that the ancestral memories I possess have faded greatly because of it. They could not seek the magic in the land to fuel their existence like they should have. We must do as we must but I do not recommend giving him any details that involve your skills with magic or your previous life. _

_I have no intention of telling him anything more than the mere fact that I was not born in this land. _Harry said reassuringly as he watched the sky brighten with hues of reds and pinks and yellows. _Can you tell where he is? _

Scáth surveyed the landscape far below them for a few minutes before answering. _He is talking with the young Rider by the forest's edge. From what I can tell, the boy has it in his mind to go chasing after the old one's murderers._

_You can tell that from all the way up here? _Harry asked in wonder as he gazed at the dark landscape below him. His mental landscape was limited to probably a few miles or so in each direction and his eyesight was nowhere near a dragons so he couldn't see anything but an outline of the valley bellow him and given their height they were well out of range for him to mentally listen in on what was going on.

_Only through their body language and a few other clues that I can see,_ Scáth explained as he flapped his wings to maintain their altitude. _Do you wish to meet up with them? They are leaving the main body of town and headed towards the wreckage of what I presume to be the young Rider's home. _

_Yes, I think that would be a fine idea. Wait until they're actually at the farm before you land,_ Harry said after a moment's thought. They were silent for some time before Harry spoke up again. _Do you know where Eragon's dragon is? I figured we would have encountered her up here in the sky. _

_She is gliding over the forest several miles below us to meet up with her Rider at the destroyed farm,_ Scáth explained as he altered his course to glide over the wreckage of the farm. _We have not encountered her up here because she has not sensed us. She has sensed you through her Rider but since we are so much higher than she is, she cannot feel your presence for herself. The only reason she has not yet sensed my presence is because not only am I capable of shielding my mind from others but also the presence of my mind, which is how I avoided Brom's search for me so he could speak with me. _

_Well you're just full of tricks aren't you? _Harry chuckled causing Scáth to rumble in embarrassment and pride.

The two of them glided silently in the air as they waited for Brom and Eragon to reach the farm. By the time they reached it, the sun had risen fully into the sky. With the better lighting Harry was able to pick out a little more detail of what was happening below him and Scáth. He couldn't make out any proper details but he could see that Eragon's dragon had landed at the farm and was greeting the two humans, who looked like tiny ants to Harry.

_I don't think we should be left out of the introductions should we?_ Harry asked in a slightly teasing voice.

Amusement flowed back from Scáth as he angled into a steep dive. Joy rushed through Harry as he clung to Scáth's neck. There was no greater rush than plunging unbearably fast towards the earth when you knew that even though you had complete control over the situation, the tiniest thing could go wrong and your suddenly nothing more than a pancake in a crater. Scáth opened his wings slightly to slow their descent and level them out. When they were a few dozen feet from the ground, his wings snapped open fully and he back flapped a few times before touching down gracefully a few yards from the other dragon. She was actually quite stunning to look at. Her scales shone a brilliant sapphire blue and the bone white spikes that traveled the length of her body, similar to how Scáth's did, contrasted nicely with her deep blue scales. She was slightly smaller than Scáth was which indicated that she was younger than he was though it was unclear as to how much younger. However, since she seemed to have a more abundance of food for her to eat, she was filled out a little more than Scáth was.

When they landed, the female dragon spun towards the new arrivals and growled threateningly, baring her fangs. She crouched in preparation to attack but her eyes flickered in surprise and she stood there staring at them. Harry and Scáth both knew better than to make a move for fear of provoking the agitated dragon, so they waited patiently for her evaluation.

Finally, she said, _Who are you?_

_We are allies,_ Scáth said clearly for all to hear. _We mean no harm to either you or your Rider and we are here to speak with the bearded one._

_I was unaware that any other dragons and Riders existed in Alagaësia, _The dragon stated as she relaxed her stance slightly.

_As far as we are aware, we are the only ones. _Scáth said honestly.

"It is ok Saphira," Brom interjected then as he stepped around the blue dragon that was apparently named Saphira. "I met them earlier. They mean us no harm."

_We shall see, _she said warningly as she continued to examine the two new comers.

Brom seemed to smile slightly as he approached Harry and Scáth. Harry, seeing that movement would no longer set off Saphira, slid down to the snow covered ground so as to speak easier with the old man. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Eragon come out of the ruined house with an armful of items. The boy froze in shock at the sight of another dragon before him.

"Forgive me dragon, but I did not catch your name last we met," Brom greeted with a friendly smile.

_That is because it was not given,_ Scáth declared after several minutes of staring critically at Brom with an eye that glinted like a black diamond. _However, you may call me Scáth._

"You have an interesting name young dragon," Brom said with a contemplative look. "If you don't mind my asking, what does it mean?"

_A name can mean a great many things,_ Scáth said evasively and refused to elaborate.

Brom seemed to understand this so he turned his attention to Harry and said, "I did not expect to see you for a while."

"Things were discussed and decisions were made," Harry answered the unspoken question of why he had returned so soon. He cast a few glances at Eragon, who had moved to stand beside Saphira. The two appeared to be discussing something intently. "But before either of us get the answers we seek, I want your word that you will not breathe a word of anything you learn from me to anyone else."

Brom stroked his beard as he thought for several long minutes. Only when Eragon began to fidget in nervous impatience did Brom speak once again. "Very well, you have my word, upon mine honor, that I shall not speak a word of our discussions to anyone without your approval."

"Thank you," Harry said with a pleased smile. "However, such discussions would be better left for less open venues."

"A valid point," Brom said clapping his hands suddenly and turning back towards Eragon and Saphira, gesturing for Harry to follow. "Come, we shall move to somewhere where we cannot be heard."

Harry and Scáth followed the old man as he followed Eragon, who led them into the forest by the house. Saphira had taken flight, presumably to follow them in the air. To ensure that they wouldn't be followed, Harry discretely obliterated their tracks, something he had gotten extremely good at over the past three months, until they had gone a ways into the tree line where there was less snow and less of a risk of being followed. As they walked, Harry eyed Eragon's back. There was a tension in the boy's muscles that Harry recognized all too well. It was the tension of loss mixed with an iron hard determination.

_He wants blood,_ Scáth remarked as Eragon led them through a thicket of underbrush.

_Something I can relate to,_ Harry responded as he detached his shirt from an annoying thorn. _And not something I can blame him for either. To lose a family member in such a way is not something you can just shrug off. _

_I agree, _Scáth said as he easily stepped over the prickly underbrush and into the quaint little clearing that was situated in the center. Saphira had landed already and had settled along the edge opposite them. She stared critically at Harry and Scáth when they entered the clearing. _I think it would be wise to keep an eye on him though. His inexperience with reality has made it difficult for him to understand caution. _

_Hmm,_ Harry hummed in thought as he settled down next to Scáth's foreleg.

–Scene Break–

_What do you make of them Saphira? _Eragon asked within the confines of his mind as he sat next to Saphira and split his time between watching Brom start a fire and looking at the other Rider and his black dragon.

_I… am unsure. _Saphira said haltingly as she openly stared at the other dragon with a calculating look. _I was only aware of Shruikan, the king's black dragon, existing besides myself. I know he has two other eggs but this dragon came from neither of them and I did not know of any other eggs in existence. His size suggests that he is older than I am by only a few months yet his leanness suggests that he has had to fight for food where as I have been able to hunt freely and abundantly._

_Do you think they mean us harm? _Eragon asked as he pulled a pot out of his pack and filled it with snow before putting it over the fire. He started preparing things for a stew.

Again, Saphira hesitated before answering. _I do not believe so. If they were the king's agents then they would have pronounced such. Still, it would be wise to exercise caution around them._

"So," Brom said as he leaned against a sapling and lit his pipe while they waited for the stew to cook. "Perhaps you would like to tell us how long you and your dragon have been together Harry?"

_That's an odd name_, Eragon thought as he turned his gaze to the green-eyed boy with the messy hair. Saphira silently agreed but didn't comment.

Harry leveled a glare at Brom and was silent for a few moments before answering. "Roughly three months by my reckoning."

"Three months?" Brom questioned in surprise. "Where have you been hiding out all this time?" Harry's glare intensified but Brom didn't seem disturbed by it and waited for an answer, which was several minutes in coming as Harry thought about whether or not to answer.

"In an abandoned city on an island off shore," Harry said eventually and Brom promptly started choking on the puff of tobacco he had taken.

"You–" Brom tried to say through his coughing fit. "You were hiding on Vroengard! In Doru Araeba?"

Shock radiated from Saphira and she let out a soft growl. Eragon, who was sitting next to her, barely heard the growl but both Harry and the other dragon looked over to her as if she had let out a roar. They stared at her wearily for a few moments before turning their attention back to Brom.

"I am unaware of the island's or the city's name but they are only a few hours flight from here," Harry answered somewhat hesitantly.

"Do you have any idea how dangerous that island is?" Brom asked incredulously.

_We lived there for three months old man,_ The black dragon said with narrowed eyes and an annoyed growl. _We fought every day for whatever food we could manage to find. We were forced to defend ourselves against all manners of beasts just so we would live to see the light of a new day. We know the dangers of that island very_ intimately. The dragon punctuated his last word with a throaty growl.

Brom was silent as Eragon dished up soup for everyone. He was a little hesitant to approach the strange boy and his dragon but he didn't want to appear rude so he poured a bowl for Harry. He nodded when the boy thanked him and went back over to Saphira and dug into his own bowl.

Harry graciously downed the entire bowl of soup in silence. After living off nothing but scraps of bland and often dry meat from the few animals that were edible on the island, the soup tasted like it was made by the gods. Granted it was nothing compared to some of the things he had eaten at Hogwarts, nothing could compare to the food there, but it was, by far, much better than what he and Scáth had been eating. No one spoke while they ate but Harry quietly started conversing with Scáth half way through his soup.

_If you're hungry you can have the rest of our rations we brought from the island,_ Harry said as swallowed a mouthful. _I don't think we'll have to scrounge for food anymore. _

_Hmmm, _Scáth said as he sniffed at their sac of food. The sac itself appeared to be rather large since it was actually Harry's blanket that he had made from the skins of various animals but the contents were few. There was enough for one good and solid meal for a human but wasn't more than a mouthful for a dragon. _Are you certain? I do not wish you to starve just to ease my own hunger that isn't that unbearable yet._

_If a village can thrive in this land then so can we, _Harry reasoned as he untied the sac allowing it to fall open and reveal their meager rations of food. _If it comes down to it and we run out of food, you and I can always go hunt together. Now eat. _

_Very well,_ Scáth said as he snatched up several chunks of meat.

"Scáth," Brom finally said when they had all finished eating. Saphira was the only one that hadn't eaten but Harry assumed she had hunted recently and didn't need any food at the moment. "You and Harry both have my apologies. I did not mean to insult either of you. I was simply shocked that you both managed to survive three months on your own on such a dangerous island."

_You are forgiven,_ Scáth said as he wrapped himself around Harry, laying his head just right so his nose was against Harry's side. _For now, _he added warningly. For some reason that only made the old man smile.

"That's an awful lot of leather," Harry remarked when he saw Eragon unrolling three large hides. "What do you plan on doing with it?"

Eragon eyed him suspiciously for a few moments before answering. "A saddle for Saphira."

"A daunting task," Brom said as he once again lit his pipe. "There were two kinds of saddles for dragons. One was a thick and hard mold but those took time and tools, neither of which we have. The second was thin and lightly padded; nothing but an extra layer between the Rider and dragon."

"Do you know what they looked like?"

"Better, I can make one."

"Then by all means, please do,"

Harry sat against Scáth's warm side and watched silently as Brom constructed a saddle from the leather hides. It was actually quite interesting to watch but Harry's eyes were quickly growing heavy. He had been up since sunrise the previous day and he was quickly growing tired.

_Rest little one,_ Scáth told him, giving Harry's side a small nudge. _I do not need sleep just yet. I will make sure they do not harm you._

_And who will make sure they do not harm you?_ Harry questioned, even as he pulled over his fur blanket.

_I do not believe they will intentionally harm either of us but if they show signs of attacking, I will wake you._ Scáth said as Harry made himself comfortable against his side, already half asleep.

The day whittled by peacefully and silently for all five of them. Brom worked diligently on Saphira's saddle and Eragon divided his time between repairing his pack and organizing their supplies and watching Brom work. During this time, Saphira continued to stare endlessly at Scáth and Harry, trying to determine whether or not they were dangerous. Scáth had noticed her staring but didn't begrudge her for it since he knew some of what she was thinking. He knew because, like her, his ancestral memories, faint as they were, had led him to believe that they were the last sane individuals of their race. Neither of them had expected to encounter another dragon that wouldn't be an enemy. Therefore, it was only natural that Saphira would be curious as well as leery. After all, Scáth himself was just as curious and just as apprehensive of Saphira as she was of him, though he wasn't as obvious about it.

Eragon and Brom broke briefly for lunch but otherwise didn't stop in their tasks. Neither of them bothered to wake Harry for lunch since when Brom had approached to do so, Scáth had bared his teeth in silent warning. From then on neither of them bothered to approach the protective dragon and his Rider. Harry ended up sleeping through the entire day and it wasn't until Eragon had started fixing dinner that he stirred. The smells of food cooking over a fire wafted into Harry's nose and roused him from his light sleep.

"Evening," Brom said when he noticed that Harry had opened his eyes. "I was expecting you to sleep through the night."

"I likely would have," Harry said as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. "Being up for over twenty four hours has a tendency to make one tired."

"Any particular reason you were up for so long?" Brom asked as he dished up the food and handed a plate to both Eragon and Harry.

"We did not take the time to rest before we left the island, Vroengard as you called it." Harry explained as he graciously accepted the plate and started eating.

"That's all well and good but why are you hear?" Eragon asked bluntly. "And how do you not know what Vroengard is?"

_What is so amusing? _Scáth asked when he felt great amusement coming across their bond, though Harry outwardly didn't show any signs.

_He reminds me of someone I used to know, _Harry explained with a smirk. _She was almost constantly asking questions and had no sense of tact when asking them._

"As for why I am here," Harry said turning his attention outward again to see both Eragon and Brom looking at him. "I came to speak with him," Harry gestured at Brom. "As for why I don't know what Vroengard is… I will keep that to myself for the time being."

"Do you plan on travelling with us?" Brom asked ignoring the irritated look he received from Eragon.

"That depends on where and why you're travelling," Harry answered after a moment's thought. "I've no wish to intrude upon anything. I merely wish to speak privately. However, it would be nice for some company so I wouldn't mind travelling with you. But again I don't wish to intrude upon anything."

"Well since this is Eragon's quest I think we'll leave the decision to him," Brom said, turning to look at said boy, who looked really irritated now.

_Could he be any more irritating? _Eragon thought irritably to himself.

_Likely,_ Saphira answered, startling Eragon slightly since he hadn't been expecting an answer. _I see no reason not to allow them to come with us though. It will allow us to keep an eye on them and if they truly are on our side then they could help us should we need it. _

_This doesn't involve them!_ Eragon countered stubbornly. _The only reason I'm allowing Brom is because he has knowledge that we need._

_Eragon,_ Saphira said firmly as she lowered her head to stare at him with one big blue eye. _Your safety is everything to me. I would not suggest something like this lightly. They have survived three months on Vroengard, a place riddled with dangerous and magical beasts and magic that is even more dangerous. As a result of that, they could become formidable allies. Furthermore, if they were the king's agents and he knew of us already, then they would not simply be sitting here. They would be attempting to take us to the king. And if those reasons don't convince you then think on this, they could help us track down and kill those strangers._

_I don't need any help,_ Eragon said petulantly.

_Eragon_–

"Fine," Eragon said allowed, cutting off Saphira's disapproval. "Fine, if you so wish you may come with us."

"Thank you for the invitation but whether or not I do depends on the conversation between me and Brom," Harry said with a nod of his head as he set his empty plate aside.

"Right," Eragon grumbled as he rolled out his blankets and promptly went to sleep.

"Do not mind him," Brom said quietly as he moved closer to Harry and Scáth. "He is very upset over the loss of his uncle."

"I do not blame him for anything," Harry said as he eyed the boy's sleeping form for a few minutes before turning his attention to Brom, who was tamping down tobacco into his pipe and lighting it.

"So what is it that you wish to speak about?" Brom asked around his pipe.

Harry paused for a few moments under the guise of collecting his thoughts but was actually casting a privacy spell around them so they wouldn't be eavesdropped on. "You want answers and I want answers," He said once the spells were in place. "Are we agreed that if I give you answers then you will give me answers?"

"As long as they are answers I can provide then yes I will give you the answers you seek," Brom said after blowing a few smoke rings. Harry watched as the rings changed colors and darted around. He quirked an eyebrow at the implications but wasn't really surprised. Scáth had said he sensed a diminished power within the aged man.

"Then the first thing you should know about me is that I am not from this land," Harry stated bluntly. "I washed ashore on the island you called Vroengard three and a half months ago. I know nothing of this land, its politics, its inhabitants, or its history." Harry could not help the smirk that played across his face as Brom's face morphed into one of complete and utter shock. His eyes bulged comically and his mouth dropped open allowing his pipe to fall out of his mouth.

_I always did enjoy catching people off guard,_ Harry thought with a chuckle.

_I can see why if this is how people always reacted,_ Scáth said with a deep rumbling chuckle that sounded like giant slabs of stone clacking together.

"You…" Brom finally managed to locate his voice, though it was rough and low and laced with astonishment. "You came here from across the sea?"

"In a manner of speaking yes," Harry said ambiguously.

_What is it?_ Scáth asked, sensing the thoughts and doubts whirling within Harry's mind.

_I'm just beginning to doubt if this land is even a part of my world or part of a different world._ Harry answered since Brom was still trying to wrap his mind around what Harry had said. _I know my world very well,_ Harry showed Scáth several images. A revolving globe filled with ocean's and land. There were giant continents that teemed with the life of millions of human beings. Harry showed Scáth images of his world, which was separate from the rest but was still part of the same planet. He showed him images of dragons he had encountered along with other magical creatures. _My world is very large and very complex and I may not know everything about it but I have never seen or heard of a land called Alagaësia with strong, powerful, intelligent, and wise dragons. With strange creatures called Urgals. I have no problem being here, I ran away after all, but this is not the world I came from and it confuses me as to how I could have come here._

"So," Brom said pulling their attention back to him. "Since you do not hail from this land, I take it you wish me to explain where you are and what you have gotten yourself involved in."

"It would be greatly appreciated," Harry said with a nod.

"Then before I begin, why don't you explain how you came across Scáth's egg?" Brom said as he picked up his pipe, tapped it clean of tobacco, and refilled it.

"I woke up on a beach," Harry detailed as he plucked a piece of grass from the ground and fiddled with it. The tree branches that hung over the small glade had protected it from the massive snowfall of winter. "When I woke up I encountered a blue-skinned creature I later learned was called an Urgal. I managed to stun the creature momentarily and gave myself enough time to run for it since my instincts said the creature wasn't friendly. I ran into the forest and kept running until I came across an abandoned city. Seeking shelter I fled into the castle that was there and sought a room high and deep in the structure where I could rest safely." Harry paused briefly to watch the dancing smoke rings that Brom was blowing once again. "I managed to find one and settled into a light and fitful rest. A few hours later, I was woken by a strange scratching sound. I cautiously searched the room and found a hidden panel in one of the walls. Inside was Scáth's egg. Seconds later, he hatched. You can deduce the rest from there."

"Hmmm," Brom hummed around his pipe as lines creased his forehead in a frown. "I was unaware that an egg had been hidden from the rest or that there had been a fourth egg at all. Usually only three are given." He was quiet for a few more minutes before speaking again. "Do you remember anything from before you were confined within this hidden alcove?"

_Very little, _Scáth answered. _I remember that the one who hid me had been frantic and used many spells to ensure I was not discovered by the betrayer. _

"I see," Brom nodded, deep in thought. "Is there a reason you have not given your Rider the necessary information about this land?"

_The spells that the one who hid me had an unforeseen side effect, _Scáth answered as he lifted his head to stare at the stars. _They concealed me completely. The ancient memories we dragons possess feed off the land and its magic in order for them to exist. The spells that were intended to conceal me and protect me did just that but they ended up concealing me so completely that I became separate from the land. As creatures of this land, we dragons are an integral part of it but if we are held separate from it then we become separate. _Scáth sighed heavily and lowered his head to rest next to Harry. _As a result of this, my ancient memories have dwindled to all but nothing. I have broken images that are incomplete and almost no information to go with them. I am no more knowledgeable of this land than Harry is. The few scattered images I can recall are nothing but flashes of ancient wars or of binding oaths. My instincts tell me some things but I lack any real depth of knowledge towards them. _

_I'm sorry,_ Harry said as he wrapped an arm around Scáth's neck. The dragon hummed in response.

"You have my deepest sympathies Scáth," Brom said sadly and with a bitter tone in his voice. "Galbatorix, the betrayer you mentioned, should suffer for an eternity for the pain he has wrought." Brom rubbed his forehead before tapping his pipe on a stone to empty the ashes and refilled it. "Your existence here, along with Saphira's, is a great blessing. Many have waited a long time and fought many dangerous battles in the hopes that the Riders would be resurrected; and now they have been rewarded with not only one Rider but _two_. However, both you two and Eragon and Saphira are in great danger, you two more so since Scáth's memories have dwindled as they have. It leaves you at a great disadvantage."

"Will you help us?" Harry asked hopefully.

"Aye, I will help you," Brom said after taking a long draught on his pipe. "But for now we need to rest. Eragon will likely want to leave in the morning to hunt down the Ra'zac, the ones who killed his uncle." Brom stood up and brushed off his robes. "I will train you alongside Eragon. Unfortunately, it would be unwise for you to be seen leaving the town or valley. You will have to fly with Scáth during the day and I will attempt to limit my instructions for night when you can camp with us."

"Thank you," Harry and Scáth said in unison. Brom nodded and went over to his pack, unfurled some blankets and settled in for the night and Harry did the same.

_We may not know what we have gotten ourselves into but at least someone is willing to guide and help us._ Harry remarked as he settled against Scáth's side and dropped the privacy spells. All Scáth did was hum and drop a wing over both of them.

The next morning the five of them woke at sunrise. After a quick breakfast, Harry and Scáth took to the air and were soon joined by Saphira. Neither dragon could carry more than one person right now given their young age and Eragon's legs still needed to heal from his first flight so he and Brom would be walking out of small village that Harry learned to be named Carvahall on foot. Harry, Scáth, and Saphira would fly ahead and wait for them in a safe and secluded area. Given that the two on the ground were on foot this would mean that there would be plenty of time for meandering. Scáth glided lazily through the air, going wherever the currents went, though never too far from the valley. They were high enough in the sky so that anyone viewing them would think they were nothing more than birds. Saphira would always follow wherever they went, constantly keeping watch on them.

_Care to have some fun?_ Scáth inquired after a few hours of gliding and enjoying the massive view they had been gifted.

_I'm always one for fun,_ Harry declared as if it should have been obvious.

_Then I suggest you make yourself secure. _Scáth replied and then waited for Harry to secure himself.

_Ok,_ Harry said after discretely (he was being watched after all) casting some spells over his legs to make them stick to Scáth's neck.

Scáth suddenly folded his left wing and they started plummeting towards the earth at an angle. Conscious of the need not to be seen, Scáth didn't drop for more than a few hundred feet before he snapped open his wing and spiraled back up into the air. Scáth held suspended in the air for a moment before he gave two powerful flaps of his wings and performed a spiraling backward loop. Harry started whooping with laughter as Scáth started performing other such complicated maneuvers, maneuvers he had once performed himself. It had been far too long since Harry had enjoyed himself in this manner. He quickly became grateful for the sticking charms he had cast on his legs because he was certain that he would have been flown off.

The two of them flew like that for hours. All worldly cares melted away as if swept aside by the rushing wind. Saphira continued to watch them but they hardly noticed. They were only aware of each other. At some point the two had unconsciously deepened their bond, widened it until neither of them could tell who was doing what and they were more one being rather than two. Harry felt as if it were his wings that glided through the air and Scáth felt as if it were his mouth that was open in gleeful laughter. They were one with the sky and each other. It was an exhilarating experience that neither of them had before but that both reveled in.

Unfortunately, it couldn't last forever and they both had to descend towards the earth when the sun started setting, slowly disentangling their minds from each other as they did so but not fully closing the connection. They took a few moments to search the valley for Brom, Eragon, and Saphira, who had landed while they were still enjoying themselves. When they landed, they saw Brom and Eragon sparring with mock swords. Harry quickly cancelled the sticking charms and slid down Scáth's front leg.

_You are a talented flyer black one,_ Harry heard Saphira say directly to Scáth. _Where did you learn such moves?_

_Many dangers exist on Vroengard, _Scáth explained with a mighty yawn as he made himself comfortable. _Several of which can fly. I learned quickly to out maneuver them so as to gain the advantage. _To Harry he added privately,_ I will need to hunt tomorrow, will you be all right on your own as you travel with the other two. _

_I can conceal myself well enough so no one will see me travelling with them,_ Harry assured as he watched Brom strike Eragon in rapid succession. _Not even they will be able to see me. _

_Good,_ Scáth declared sleepily as he laid his head down on the ground and started to doze.

A startled yelp from the sparing pair drew Harry's gaze. He saw that Eragon had dropped his wooden sword and was rubbing his upper arm. His skin was glistening in the fire light with sweat. Several welts covered his arms and a few bruises were starting to form. Brom dismissed him and Eragon went over to flop down onto his blankets and Saphira started emitting a coughing growl that Harry recognized as laughter. His suspicions were confirmed when he saw Eragon blush.

"Your turn," Brom said tossing Eragon's discarded stick at Harry, who caught out of reflex.

"Very well," Harry said as he stood up.

Absently he noted that the aged man didn't look the least bit weary from his spar with Eragon. This piqued his curiosity but he didn't comment on it. He stood their silently with the mock sword in his right hand, waiting for Brom to make the first move. He didn't have to wait long. Brom lunged forward, intending to strike at Harry's upper left arm. To everyone's surprise, except Scáth who was sound asleep, the sound of wood echoed throughout the campsite followed by surprisingly quick movement on Harry's part and a surprised yelp from the old man.

"You have experience with the sword?" Brom asked in shock as he rubbed his thigh and turned to face where Harry had darted away.

"No," Harry said with a slight grin. "But I have experience with other things that can be transferred into this arena. Not to mention I am very apt at avoiding physical blows."

"I see," Brom said with determination. "I will not under estimate you again so let us see how well you hold up against a master swordsman."

Harry grinned and sidestepped Brom's attempt to strike Harry in the thigh as payback. He brought up the mock stick to block the old man's sudden twist. Harry was great at predicting how his opponent would move, even without reading their minds, which he couldn't do with Brom. However, he didn't see Brom move to swipe his leg at Harry's legs until it was too late and he was forced to one knee. Unperturbed, Harry went with the motion and rolled away and got back to his feet in a matter of seconds. Brom was quick though and he was already on top of Harry, forcing the dark haired boy into a frenzied defense.

After a few minutes of constantly defending himself and receiving several welts of his own in the process, Harry changed tact and went on the offensive. He parried one of Brom's blows, spun into the old man's guard, elbowed him in the chest and then spun out again, whacking Brom in the arm.

"You are a natural fighter," Brom praised bringing the sparring session to a halt.

"No," Harry denied as he settled next to the fire. "Just determined to stay alive." Brom barked a laugh at that as Harry helped himself to the food that was left over from the others dinner. "Scáth needs to hunt tomorrow so I will accompany the two of you on foot if that is alright."

"Hmmm…" Brom frowned in thought for a few moments as he stared into the fire. "I think that would be fine. We are near Therinsford and should reach it tomorrow. There we will purchase horses for the three of us and from then we can ride from the valley much swifter and easier. I still think it would be unwise for anyone to see you. The scar on your forehead is unique and makes you easily identifiable and if the wrong person were to see you it could prove troublesome."

"I've grown very apt at remaining unobtrusive, even with the blasted scar," Harry said with a bitter tone to his voice. "I assure you, no one will look twice at me."

"Very well then," Brom said as he took out his pipe.

Everyone was silent for a while but once Eragon and Saphira went to sleep, Brom started giving Harry a history lesson about Alagaësia. It was a vague history, nothing more than a basic outline that any native inhabitant of the land would know simply by growing up there. Harry suspected that the man knew far more than he let on but Harry didn't press for the time being, grateful for having any background at all. He listened raptly to the things Brom told him about, such as the Riders and their downfall and other various trivia about the land. Essentially, Brom told him everything that Harry needed to know in order to know how he should act and behave so no one would suspect that he was from a different land.

"Are there others besides yourself in Alagaësia that can use magic?" Harry asked as they settled in for the night. He noticed how Brom stiffened and froze slightly before continuing his preparations for rest.

"What makes you think I know magic?" Brom asked evasively.

"Smoke rings to do not change color and prance about out of their own free will," Harry replied as he laid against Scáth's side and covered himself with his blanket.

"Maybe they do in this land," Brom countered.

"Yeah, and I'm an octopus with ten tentacles, six eyes, and a pair of antlers," Harry replied sarcastically as he reflexively surveyed the surrounding area with his mind before drifting off to sleep. Out of habit from living in a dangerous environment, Harry left his mind open to his surroundings and remained half-aware of the minds of insects and animals going about their routines.

When the sun breached the horizon the next morning the five travelers woke and, after a quick breakfast, set out on the road. Scáth and Saphira took flight. Scáth went to hunt in The Spine while Saphira merely glided high in the sky above them, looking no more than a bird. The three of them walked swiftly in silence and by noon Therinsford was in sight. Brom instructed Eragon to have Saphira wait for them on the other side of the town, to which he obliged after challenging the man to do it himself and glaring darkly at him when he declared it in appropriate to interfere with someone's dragon. His exact wording had been, "It's considered bad manners to interfere with another's dragon." Though it didn't show, Harry found Brom's use of the word 'another's' to be very interesting. Harry had learned long ago to pay attention to not only how a person spoke but also what words they chose to use as it often revealed things they otherwise wouldn't have said outright. In this instance, Brom's use of the word 'another' instead of 'someone's' or 'a Rider's' implied that Brom may very well have been a Rider once upon a time. It would explain the diminished power Scáth had sensed the other day.

"Very cleaver of you Brom," Harry remarked with a chuckle when they were out of earshot of the man on the bridge who demanded payment in order for them to cross.

"What're you talking about?" Eragon asked in confusion. "He just lost five crowns when he could've easily just brushed past the man."

"Did you now?" Harry asked with a smirk and a raised eyebrow at Brom.

"One cannot argue with every fool in the world," Brom answered with an approving glint in his eyes as he revealed the handful of coins he had stolen from the man's purse when he had 'accidentally' stumbled into the bridge keeper. "Better to trick them when they're not looking." Eragon stared incredulously at Brom's sneakiness. "Here," Brom said to Harry, handing him a handful of coins. "Go and purchase yourself some new clothing. Your own are getting ragged and they make you stand out. Meet us on the other side of the town when you're down."

"Thank you," Harry said before trotting off towards the main body of town, casting subtle charms on himself as he went so he would remain unnoticed. He wasn't invisible; people would just find themselves not wanting to look in his direction.

It took Harry a few minutes to locate a store where he could purchase clothing. Once he did, he found clothing that he liked and that were his size. They were plain, yet attractive at the same time. He got two pairs of leather trousers, one black and one dark brown. Then he got an assortment of shirts that varied from deep green to black. He chose such colors so he didn't stand out, either on the ground or in the sky on Scáth. When he purchased everything he wanted, he counted the coins he had left over and located a cobbler so he could get new shoes. His tennis shoes were not only in great disrepair but also stood out a great deal. Thankfully, he had enough coins for new shoes.

When he had everything he needed, Harry made his way south and out of town. Ever since he discovered that Eragon and Brom were capable of detecting his mental presence, Harry had refrained from touching their minds, not that it mattered with Brom as he could shield his mind, but he could still sense their whereabouts. Through the mind of the person nearest them, Harry was able to tell that they were still in the process of purchasing horses, so he made his way out of town. He could sense Saphira's mind circling over head, watching both Eragon and himself. She was out of range of his mental landscape, though he could reach her if he focused enough, but he could still sense her mighty presence watching.

Once he made it out of town, Harry stepped off the main trail and into the trees. There, he quickly disrobed and donned his new clothing. He was about to return to the trail when something occurred to him. He needed a way to defend himself without using magic. From what Brom had told him and from what Harry had deduced on his own, magic and magic users were scarce in this land. If he started using it at every turn and for every little thing then he would become an even bigger target than he already was. This left him in a bit of a quandary. He could simply conjure a weapon, a sword likely given the type of world he was in now, but conjured items were not as sturdy as something made by hand and they had a tendency to fade after a while. Then there was his shortage of money, not to mention he didn't see a blacksmith in the town.

_It seems that one way or another I end up in strange and life threatening situations without a proper means of defense,_ Harry thought to himself irritably.

_I am sorry for your past troubles little one,_ Scáth said, startling Harry slightly since he hadn't expected a response since Scáth was still off hunting. Through their link, Harry saw that he was munching on a bloody haunch in the middle of a secluded glade. _However, you are not alone anymore and I will personally tear apart anything that so much as scratches you. _

Harry chuckled with a fond smile. _Thank you my dear friend._

_It is my pleasure,_ Scáth said happily. _Is there not a way for you to create a weapon out of magic? Not just make one appear but actually make it. _

_Such a thing would take far too long… _Harry's voice trailed off as a memory popped into his head. _However, I might know of a ritual that would work._

_Is it safe? _Scáth questioned. _I know little of the magic you were raised with and I do not want you to get hurt. _

_It would be fine so long as it's done properly,_ Harry said as he concentrated on his memory and went over the ritual. _It would require a little more time than I have right now since Eragon is almost here with the horses. I also think it would be best if you were here with me. I will do it tonight after they have gone to sleep. _

_Very well,_ Scáth said and Harry saw him tear a strip out of the hide he was eating. _I shall meet you when you three stop for the night._

_Enjoy your meal my shadow,_ Harry said as he walked back to the trail. He was just in time to meet Eragon as he walked past the main border of Therinsford with three horses that were saddled and ready for travel. One of the horses was a beautiful white stallion and the other two were bays with one being darker than the other one and with a white marking on its forehead.

"I always liked horses," Harry remarked with a smile as he approached the nearest one, which happened to be the darker one. "Does it matter whose is whose?"

"I think Brom is taking Snowfire," Eragon said after a moment of thought and watching the way Harry and the roan interacted. "I was planning on taking the lighter bay."

Harry nodded in acknowledgement as he stroked the bay on the nose before going over to the saddlebags and placed his clothing inside. "Where is Brom anyways?" He asked as he mounted the bay and noticed that Brom wasn't with Eragon.

Eragon snorted derisively before answering. "In a tavern for all I know. The man has more secrets than a tree has leaves."

"I could say the same about you with questions," Brom said with a chuckle from behind them.

"Perhaps I wouldn't have so many questions if you didn't have so many secrets," Eragon grumbled as they followed Brom farther down the trail.

"Secrets are the way of the world," Harry said wisely but with bitter resignation in his voice. "If everyone knew everything about everything then there would be no point in living life. Secrets and Mysteries are what drive us to live." Brom and Eragon looked at Harry in surprise and annoyed confusion respectively.

"Wise words for one of your age," Brom remarked as he eyed the wild haired youth with a critical eye.

"Years mean nothing," Harry declared with a sad and dark look on his face as he shifted in his saddle. "The only thing that does, are our experiences."

Before either of them could muster a response, Harry spurred his horse into a faster walk so he ended up a ways a head of Brom and Eragon, who were still on foot, effectively ending any further conversation. He paused only briefly when Brom and Eragon halted their progress to mount their horses and confer about what Brom had discovered about the Ra'zac passing through Therinsford but he didn't comment on anything. He just sat stoically on his horse and waited for the others to resume walking. When they finally resumed movement there wasn't much talking since Eragon and Brom had no desire to further upset the tetchy youth.

As the hours wore on though everyone became more relaxed and light conversation was resumed, though Harry didn't participate. He did, however, listen closely when Brom explained to Eragon what the tower high up on the mountains side was as it revealed a little bit more about the history of the land. Not much was said beyond that and the three of them travelled in peaceful silence. It wasn't until the sun was low on the horizon when the three of them crested a rise in the path that signaled the mouth of the valley they were leaving. Beyond it stretched a seemingly endless plain that was growing darker in the fading sun light. Harry heard Eragon gasp in wonder and he had to wonder if the boy had as much as left Carvahall before. Given the boy's reactions he seriously doubted it. After a few moments of enjoying the view, Brom led them off the trail and towards the river where they made camp and Saphira and Scáth joined them.

Dinner was made and eaten in silence and afterward Brom and Eragon dueled extensively while Harry watched. Brom was slightly more reserved in his dueling with Eragon than he had been with Harry but not by much. As a result the aged man pushed Eragon to his limits, only pausing to demonstrate to the boy how to execute a certain maneuver. Harry was actually able to learn quite a bit simply by watching the pair, even though the session didn't last all that long. When they were finished, Brom sparred with Harry for a while before they broke it off for rest, both of them supporting bruises.

Harry lay on his back next to Scáth with his eyes closed, feigning sleep as was Scáth. They waited what seemed like forever just to ensure everyone else was asleep. Finally, when the half moon was high in the sky, Harry snapped his eyes open like wild cat. He listened intently for several minutes but only heard the deep breaths of his three companions. As silent as a wisp of pollen on a summer breeze, Harry stood up and left the campsite with Scáth moving surprisingly silent beside him, his size beguiling his stealth. The two of them walked quite a ways away from the campsite so the others wouldn't be disturbed by what Harry was going to do.

_So what is this ritual that you are going to perform? _Scáth asked when Harry had located a suitable spot underneath the pines.

_From what I read,_ Harry said as he pulled out his wand and cleared the forest floor of pine needles after lighting the tip and began to carve strange markings on the forest floor. Strange to Scáth anyways, to Harry they were familiar runes from his world. _It is a rarely used ritual. It is supposed to be a cross between summoning and conjuring. The ritual is rarely used for a couple of reasons, the first of which is that it takes a fair amount of skill, power, and concentration to perform. The second reason is that it wasn't entirely necessary for most wizards and witches since they had money and could simply purchase what they wanted._

_And you will use this to bring forth a sword?_ Scáth asked as he curiously watched what Harry was doing and comparing it to the memories he had seen from Harry.

_Aye, _Harry answered as he meticulously perfected another rune. _I believe that with your help I will be able to do it._

_How can I help?_ Scáth questioned in disbelief. _I know nothing of this._

_In a couple of ways actually,_ Harry answered easily. _Firstly, you have seen my memories of the runes I am carving and it would be appreciated if you helped me double check my work. Secondly, I was hoping that you would be willing to lend me some strength if I needed it._ At this he looked at Scáth hopefully.

_Oh very well,_ Scáth said after a few minutes of trying to fight Harry's puppy dog look, not that he would've said no either way.

Harry beamed happily and went back to work. It took Harry the better part of two and a half hours to properly carve the runes with Scáth interjecting occasionally when he saw Harry making a mistake. He had to carve a good sized circle of runes and then etch a likeness of what he wanted inside the circle, also with runes. The likeness didn't need to be perfect but the more detail one put into it the more likely the ritual was to succeed. It was a long process but eventually he finished with all the runes properly carved. His end result was a circle about a foot wide with a likeness of a sword in the center with its pummel and tip touching the edges of the circle.

_Are you ready?_ Harry asked as he took a few steps back from the circle.

_Are you?_ Scáth countered.

"As I'll ever be," Harry said a loud. "Here goes: _Per ignem et lapideum quod cupio parere_," He chanted, keeping his wand pointed at the carving.

At first, nothing happened but then a spark of fire suddenly leapt from the end of Harry's wand and landed on the circle's edge. Very slowly the fire spread around the circle of runes and then to the carving of the sword. The fire started out low and calm but when the entire carving Harry had made was ablaze the flames grew in intensity. They grew until they were over a foot off the ground. They flickered and danced in the night but quickly became a solid and stable force, as if they consuming the entire forest. Harry kept a steady image in his mind of what he wanted and poured more energy into the spell, gladdened when Scáth lent him strength. The flames flared suddenly, took on a black tinge and went high enough to touch the branches, though didn't burn them. A slight shockwave pulsed from the carving and the flames but didn't travel very far.

The pillar of fire before them began to churn and rotate. It started slowly but it quickly gained speed and it wasn't long before it looked like a fiery tornado. Even as the pillar churned it began to shrink in size. When it was halfway between the branches and the earth the fire's speed started to lessen. After it shrank a few more inches, Harry's eyes caught something glistening from the top edges of the flames. At first he couldn't quite make out what he was seeing but as the fire shrank Harry recognized the shape of a swords pummel; then a handle; then the cross guard. Eventually the entire blade was revealed, looking to be a total of four feet from end to end and was complete with a sheath and a thick belt so he could strap it to his waist. When the last of the flames finally died, Harry lowered his wand gently. The sword remained floating in the air, rotating ever so slightly.

_I've never seen such a beautiful yet deadly looking sword,_ Harry remarked as he reached out and gently took hold of the sword in both hands.

_Nor I_, Scáth replied as he examined the blade with a critical eye.

The sheath was solid black with the exception of a white lightning bolt etched into one side near the top. Harry shook his head at that but ignored the implications. The handle and cross guard were simple and crafted from silver metal with a large black diamond set into the pummel. The handle fit perfectly in Harry's hand as if it had been sculpted solely for his use. Slowly, Harry pulled the blade free of its sheath. The sword was as silent as death as it slipped free to reveal an impossibly beautiful blade. Like the scabbard, the bulk of the blade was black but running down the center of both sides was a streak white, like a stretched out lightning bolt. Harry swung the blade experimentally. The sword was perfectly balanced but it was much lighter than he had expected, yet he knew that it would easily slice through the thickest of skulls.

_I sense that we did more than just summon you a weapon,_ Scáth said as he sniffed the sword before Harry returned it to its sheath. _It radiates a great power. I suggest you guard it well. _

"Magic can be quite unpredictable can't it?" Harry asked aloud as he strapped the sword around his waist.

"Indeed it can."


	3. Chapter 3: Training

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing

* * *

CHAPTER THREE: TRAINING

Harry froze with his hands still on the clasped buckle. He knew the mind and the voice that went with it but that didn't explain how the old man had managed to sneak up on Harry without his notice since Harry was still aware of his surroundings. After a moment's thought he assumed that he had simply too focused on the task at hand and hadn't paid any attention to his surroundings. Understandable given what he had been doing but he was very lucky that it was Brom that had sneaked up on him and no one else.

"In all my years," Brom said as he walked forward and turned to face Harry. "I have never seen anyone perform such a feat as that. Not even the Rider's could have attempted such a feat without dying in the process. How did you do it? How did you learn to wield magic like that? Was it Vroengard? Did you find some forgotten secrets in the library in Doru Araeba? Or was it the king that trained you and sent–"

"I had a life before I came to this land," Harry said stiffly, cutting off Brom's ranting questions. He was offended that he would think he was an agent of a king whom Harry was coming to view in the same light as the man who killed his parents from the stories he had been told and the memories he had seen. "Just as you were a Rider before you became a story teller." That caused the old man to stare at him in shock. "Furthermore, I know nothing of the magics of your land but I know well the magic that I used back in my world and that is what I used here and I assure you that I never so much as heard of this Galbatorix before I encountered you."

"Hmmm…" Brom hummed in thought as he stroked his long white beard. "No, you are right I apologize. If the king had new Rider at his command then the rivers would be running red with blood. Still," He eyed Harry critically. "I would like to know how you performed such magic without so much as breaking a sweat. And why it is you think I was a Rider."

"I do not know the laws of your magic so I cannot explain the differences," Harry answered, not entirely willing to divulge the secrets of his past. It was true though. He didn't know how the magic in this world worked so he couldn't begin to explain how he had done what he did. "As for why I think you were a Rider at one point, it is the only logical conclusion when you consider all the facts."

"And what facts would those be?" Brom asked with a raised eyebrow.

"For starters you seem to know a great deal about Rider's, dragons, and their abilities; much more than a simple town story teller would know," Harry explained easily. "Your skills with the blade could be easily explained away as you having prior training but when you couple that with your knowledge and the fact that you are inexplicably quick and strong for one of your apparent age then that leaves one of two options. Either you're an extremely young man, who has used spells to make him look older, or you were once a Rider and if you were a Rider then that would imply that, they, along with you, are all but immortal. Then," Harry smirked at this as he found it rather funny. "As we entered Therinsford, you said it was bad manners to interfere with _another's_ dragon, not a Rider's or someone's dragon but _another's_."

"You know," Brom said with an amused chuckle. "I don't think I've ever met someone who was as observant and as logical as you are. Not even among the elves."

_Elves? _Harry thought curiously. The only elves he had encountered in his world were house elves but Harry had a feeling that Brom was referring to the kinds of elves that came out of a fairy tale. The kind that was proud, beautiful, and strong. The mythical creatures that lived in forest realms and whose blood ran thick with magic.

"But you are correct," Brom said drawing Harry's attention back to him. "There was a time in which I was a Rider but that time is long past. However, their knowledge still lingers in my veins and it is this knowledge that I shall pass to you and Eragon. Normally I wouldn't dare impart knowledge of the magical arts to young Riders such as yourself but since you already appear to be able to use it, then I shall instruct you in it, as you will likely have need of it at a later time." He paused to glare dangerously at Harry and Scáth both before he said, "I am trusting you both not to abuse the secrets I will divulge to you."

"Upon my life," Harry vowed. "We will not abuse the knowledge you grant us."

"See that you don't." Brom said warned. "Now come, it is late and we will need our rest for the descent into plains tomorrow."

–Scene Break–

Once the three of them had descended into the plains the next day around noon they lingered by the river, the Anora River Brom had informed him, so they could have their fill of water since it would be four days before they came across another source of water. Saphira and Scáth flew overhead since there weren't any places to hide out on the plains. As they followed the Ra'zac's tracks towards a town called Yazuac, Harry caught snippets of conversation between Saphira and Scáth through his link with Scáth. They were exchanging flying tactics, hunting tactics, and other such things. Occasionally one or the other would remark about something from their past before they met but that was rare. In essence, the two were getting to know each other. As they were the last sane individuals of their race, neither wanted to be enemies but neither would blindly welcome the other with open arms.

As for the three humans traveling on foot, little was said during the day do to the gale that constantly battered them. At first Harry was unperturbed by the wind since he was used to high speeds of it from when he rode his broom at Hogwarts, but when the wind started throwing dust into their faces, even he started getting irritable. It had gotten to the point where Harry had pulled out the tattered shirt he had came to this land in and tore it into a large strip to cover his mouth and nose. He had kept his old clothing so he could use it as rags but this was just as good. He offered some strips to Eragon and Brom. Brom refused but Eragon hesitantly accepted after a moment's thought. Given that the gale had continued ruthlessly into the night, they kept their sparring sessions short and Brom refused to attempt to teach Harry any of the magic he knew while having his beard whip about like a snake. Harry didn't mind though, the gale was getting to him as well and wasn't in a mood to learn anything.

On the third day, the wind had abated completely but it didn't improve Harry's mood, or any of the others for that matter. Directly in their path were ominous and dark thunderheads. They billowed and shifted as they moved. The ground below them was shrouded in shadows. Brom reasoned that since they would get battered by the storm either way, they should get some ground covered no matter what. Harry agreed but he was a little more thoughtful than the others were.

_I suggest you and Saphira fly ahead to the storm front and land, _Harry told Scáth. _That storm looks vicious and I don't want you caught in it while in the air. _

Scáth didn't reply for a few moments and Harry figured he was conferring with Saphira. _We shall meet you on the path ahead. Stay safe._

_You as well,_ Harry replied and prepared for the onslaught.

The three of them managed to cover a few more miles before the storm broke. They met up with Saphira and Scáth after about another mile into the storm. The five of them continued to push through the storm, getting battered and soaked as they went. Normally the two dragons wouldn't have had an issue keeping up with the horses, even on foot, but because of the strong wind that pushed against them all, they had to fight for every inch and kept low to the ground so they wouldn't get tossed into the air. The storm raged on for hours until it finally dissipated just before sunset. Weary and sore, the five of them found a good place to rest before simply falling asleep.

By noon the next day, Yazuac was in sight. The town was still several miles away but as the plains were flat, it was clearly visible. Since he was used to harsh conditions where food was scarce, Harry wasn't as eager to reach the town as the other two were but he kept up with their swift pace nonetheless. They all stopped though before the first house of the village with Saphira and Scáth waiting near the Ninor River where they would be close but out of sight. Harry didn't like it. The hairs on the backs of his neck stood on end and he could feel that ever-familiar sense of danger that he had grown up with was creeping into his bones.

"We should leave this place," Harry said aloud as he fingered the pummel of his sword and scanned the area. "Nothing but death lurks here."

"What makes you say that?" Eragon asked giving Harry a strange look.

"Listen, what do you hear?" Harry asked gripped his reins tightly.

Eragon gave Harry a look that said he thought the other boy was crazy but listened regardless. "I hear nothing." He said after a few minutes of listening.

"Exactly," Harry responded as he surveyed the area mentally. He found nothing but four surprisingly well guarded minds, from which he could glean nothing. "There are no dogs barking, nor birds chirping from their nests. There are no sounds of children playing in the streets or merchants hawking their wares. No voices of mothers scolding their children echo through the streets. Wives do not shout at their husbands for returning home drunk from a tavern. Nothing. This place is dead and we should leave."

"We need provisions and water," Brom argued but Harry could tell that the old man was unsettled.

"Is there not another town nearby where we could restock?" Harry questioned, not willing to give in.

"There is Daret to the south but it is days away." Brom answered as he tried to figure out whether or not it would be worth it to go into the town. "We do not have enough supplies to last for much longer. Even if the village has been abandoned for some reason we might be able to scrounge some things. But we should approach from the side in case there is an ambush waiting for us."

"So be it, but don't say I didn't warn you," Harry relented grudgingly as he slid his new blade, which he had named Bhuailteoir which was Irish for Striker, out of its sheath a few inches. To Scáth he said, _Be ready for I follow fools into the arms of trouble. _

_If they lead to trouble then why do you follow? _Scáth questioned in confusion and worry.

_I'll not leave them to die because of their stupidity,_ Harry answered as he kept his eyes peeled for traps and the like as they entered the city from the side. He could sense the four shielded minds on the other side of the deserted town near the edge so he didn't have to worry about them for now. _Moreover, without them we would be lost and fighting for our lives once again. Something I do not wish to return to. _

_Nor I,_ Scáth agreed and Harry felt him take to the air. _I shall circle above in case I am needed. _

_And Saphira? _

_She said we could not risk exposure so I left her by the river,_ Scáth answered with a hint of disapproval and regret in his voice.

_Well with any luck neither of you will be needed,_ Harry answered but they both knew that it was unlikely.

The three of them rode quietly and cautiously towards the center of town. Once there, Harry had to bite his tongue not to say I told you so as it would've been an entirely inappropriate comment given the situation. Eragon exclaimed something in horror that Harry did not hear, he was too busy scanning the area and refusing to look at the mountain of bodies before them. He had known that there were no villagers in the town but he had not suspected this. Harry was no stranger to death but this was simply revolting. He heard a twang and looked just in time to see an arrow make contact with a crow and turned it into a puff of feathers. Seconds later Eragon heaved over his mounts side and Harry felt sympathy rise for the boy.

_Harry!_ Scáth said urgently. _Those minds you sense are Urgals! They've noticed your presence; you must flee!_

"Urgals! Run!" Harry relayed as he drew Bhuailteoir and spurred his horse into a run. He wasn't sure why but the other two didn't doubt him and quickly followed.

_On your right, two houses in front of you. An Urgal is preparing to knock you off your horse from the alley,_ Scáth warned, as he had done many times before on Vroengard when they went out hunting.

Keeping his horse at a run, Harry straightened in his saddle and raised Bhuailteoir across his torso and at an angle in preparation to strike. Just as his horses head breached the alley where the Urgal was hiding, Harry brought his sword down with all his might. The blade sliced through the Urgal's outstretched arm, severing it, and dug halfway through the beast's body as if it were no more than soft butter. The Urgal howled in agony as it toppled to the ground, slipping into deaths embrace as blood and organs spilled from its body. Hearing the cry of their fallen comrade, the other three Urgals that were stationed farther down the path leaped out of their hiding places, blocking Harry's flight.

"Scatter!" Harry yelled as he jerked on his reins, forcing his horse down an alley.

He heard an angry grunt of one of the Urgals as it took after him. Harry urged his horse forward and had it turn down another alley that led towards the city proper. With an immense display of skill and dexterity, Harry leaped out of his saddle, landing with a slight stumble and turned to face the Urgal that had just rounded the corner. It came up short with a look of shock on its contorted face, obviously not having expected Harry to be facing it and ready for a fight. After a minute, the beast growled at him and hefted its own, crude sword and struck. Harry blocked the attack and moved to get at an angle where he could hack at the creature but the Urgal proved to be quicker and more skilled than he previously thought and quickly moved out of the way. This time it was Harry who growled. He was in no mood to play games. Harry lunged at the beast and brought Bhuailteoir down with strength that surprised even him. The Urgal managed to bring up his sword to block the attack but it was made of an inferior metal compared to Harry's blade and it snapped in half. Seizing the opportunity of the distracted and dumbfounded being, Harry quickly lifted his sword and severed the Urgal's head from its shoulder.

_You best hurry to the town's center,_ Scáth informed him. _Eragon has backed himself into a corner and the other two Urgals are pressing in on him and I am too high up to be of assistance._

Harry acknowledged the information and quickly retrieved his horse from where he had galloped away and quickly took off again, using the pinpricks of light behind his eyes as a guide. He reached the center of Yazuac just in time to see a blue shockwave pulse from one of the alleyways. He rushed towards the mouth of the alley where he pulled up in surprise. The Urgals lay dead in the dirt and Eragon was sagged against a wall panting and looking unbelievably weak. Harry dismounted and approached the boy.

"Are you hurt?" He asked, looking Eragon over for any injuries.

"No, but Brom is," Eragon answered as he struggled to stand upright.

"How did you kill them?" Harry asked curiously, gesturing towards the Urgals as he helped support the other boy.

"I don't know but whatever I did it has drained me and made me feel as if I have not eaten for days," Eragon said as Harry helped him walk towards the mouth of the alley. Harry noted that the boy was shaking badly and his movements were choppy and slightly uncoordinated.

"Have you called Saphira?" Harry asked as he took hold of his horse's reins and led them towards where he could feel the unconscious mind of Brom. Half way there, Cadoc, Eragon's horse, trotted over to them and fell in line beside them, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Harry couldn't help but smirk. That was why he liked horses. They could be uncannily intelligent and loyal to a fault if they were treated right.

"Aye but too late for her to be of any assistance," Eragon answered warily as Harry helped him into Cadoc's saddle before going over to Brom. Just as Harry managed to calm Snowfire down and tie a rag around an injury on Brom's arm said dragon flew out of the sky and landed with an angry hiss. Her eyes burned with fury and her tail lashed about.

_Are you hurt?_ She demanded with rage in her voice. Her query was directed at Eragon but since she wasn't focusing her thoughts solely on him and Harry's mind was exposed and open he heard it as well.

"No," Eragon answered as swayed slightly in his saddle.

"Are you sure you're strong enough to ride?" Harry asked, eyeing Eragon in concern as he used a rag to wipe both his and Brom's sword clean of blood before returning them to their proper sheaths.

"Yes, my strength is returning but I still feel like I could sleep for a week." Eragon said in a slightly slurred speech.

_Where are the ones who did this?_ Saphira asked with a growl but her thoughts were a little more focused and Harry could no longer hear her. _I will rip them apart. _

"They're already dead," Eragon answered, startling Saphira into looking at him in surprise.

_You killed them? _She asked, astonished.

"Two of them," Eragon said with a weary nod.

"Saphira," Harry spoke, drawing their attention. "Do you think you can carry Brom? He is not fit to ride a horse but your saddle's straps will keep him in place so he does not fall."

"Why don't you have your dragon do it?" Eragon asked in confusion. "Where is he anyways?"

"He is keeping watch," Harry said as he pointed towards the sky where there was a black speck that looked no larger than a hawk circling overhead. "He is the one that told me that Urgals were still in the town. Also, Scáth doesn't have a saddle so Brom would likely end up just falling off and plummeting towards the earth."

_I will carry him,_ Saphira answered but added with steel in her voice. _But I will not leave Eragon alone in his weakened state. _

"That is fine," Harry answered as he hefted Brom out of his saddle and carried him over to Saphira. "It would be best if you flew over head anyways. Scáth does not see any other Urgals in the area but your presence will help keep any that are hiding at bay."

Once Harry had Brom firmly in the saddle, Saphira took to the air and flew over them as they made their way out of town. The trek was silent and Harry led the way past the Yazuac's boarder. He followed the Ninor River south since he remembered Brom saying a town was in that direction. They paused briefly to let the horses drink and to refill their water skins, though Harry honestly had no need to do so since he could conjure water magically, but did so nonetheless as it wouldn't be wise for him to flaunt his magic.

As the sun descended towards the horizon and Harry and Eragon were waiting on their respective dragons to locate a suitable resting place, Eragon spoke up.

"You have been a Rider for a little over three months correct?" He asked turning to Harry, who was glad to hear the boy's voice was stronger than it had been.

"About that, though it is closer to four now," Harry answered with a nod. "Why do you ask?"

Eragon hesitated for a few moments before answering. "I have only been a Rider for a little over a month. Saphira and I are both young and know little of what the Riders were capable of and I was wondering if you had a better idea."

_He wants an answer as to how he killed the Urgals,_ Harry thought to himself as he shifted in his saddle.

_Yes, I thought that over myself,_ Scáth commented while simultaneously providing Harry with directions to a secluded clearing in the trees by the river. _The only conclusion I came up with was that the boy used magic. It would not surprise me if the boy came to this conclusion himself given his background of the land. He is likely seeking confirmation from you since you are, technically, his elder._

_Hmmm…_ Was Harry's only response before he spoke aloud, choosing his words carefully. "Ever since bonding with Scáth I have noticed that I have become stronger and slightly more agile than I was before, beyond that I'm afraid I do not know anything more than you do. However," He continued before Eragon could say anything. "Scáth and I have both thought it over and the only conclusion we can come up with is that you used magic. Whether that is something inherently apart of being a Rider or simply something that you yourself possess alone is unknown to either of us."

"Yes that was my conclusion as well," Eragon said as they reached the small clearing where a small fire was burning with Brom next to it tending to his arm. Saphira was crouched next to Brom but Scáth landed a few moments after Harry and Eragon arrived.

_The area is clear, I did not see any other Urgals in the area and there is no town for miles yet, _He said as he folded his wings and settled down on the edge of clearing on the other side of Brom. Harry nodded and dismounted. Once Eragon had dismounted as well, he took Cadoc's reins and went to picket the horses by the river where they could graze and drink at their leisure.

"How are you?" Eragon asked he settled by the fire while Harry went to settle in front of Scáth, though he wasn't so far away as to be considered ostracizing himself from his companions.

Brom explained briefly about the condition of his arm but Harry didn't pay much attention and since not much else was said before they started fixing dinner, there was no real loss of information. When they boiled rags to clean Brom's wound, Harry tossed in one of his own so he could clean Bhuailteoir more thoroughly than he had before. Oh, he had wiped clean the blade that was for sure, but the handle and cross guard was splattered with blood from the two Urgals he had slain. He had never paid that much attention to the handle before, too entranced by the beauty of the entire blade, but as he cleaned it he noticed that the hand and a half handle was as beautifully wrought as the blade. Intricate patterns wove about the handle like a maze. If you followed one line in the pattern, it could lead you to another line or it could lead you to nowhere. They stretched from the black diamond pummel to the strong cross guard.

_Magic can create some really beautiful things when it wants to,_ Harry remarked as he laid the blade across his lap and accepted the bowl that Brom had passed to him.

_It can create many mysteries as well,_ Scáth remarked as he looked upon the blade with one big black eye. He was silent for a long time, examining Bhuailteoir's handle. It wasn't until Harry had finished eating that he spoke up again. _Unless my eyes deceive me, there is a pattern to those engravings._

_How so?_ Harry asked as he set the bowl down and looked more closely at the handle.

Scáth widened their connection so Harry could see what Scáth saw more easily. _If you follow one of the lines, from one end to another, you will notice that they appear to be half of something else, pieces of a larger whole._

Harry examined the handle even as he listened to the recounting Eragon was giving to Brom of everything that happened after the man had fallen unconscious. He angled the blade this way and that, trying to discover its secrets. Experimentally, Harry ran his finger over one of the lines and to his immense surprise, the engraving moved. It wasn't just the single line the Harry had touched but an entire section that was about half an inch wide that moved.

_Mysteries indeed,_ Harry said, agreeing with Scáth's earlier statement. He tested another section of the handle and found that it too moved. _I think I know what this is._

"Boy!" Brom roared unexpectedly at Eragon but it caused Harry to flinch out of a long engrained reflex and Scáth to growl. The dragon knew well why that word caused such a reaction out of his bonded and he didn't like it. He shifted closer to Harry and wrapped his tail and head around him.

"It would be appreciated if you didn't use that word in that tone again," Harry said when he noticed that the other two, along with Saphira, were looking at him in confusion. They stared at him for a moment longer before Brom and Eragon went back to their conversation, though Saphira continued to watch them curiously.

_So what do you think this is?_ Scáth questioned, giving Bhuailteoir's pummel a nudge with his nose. Despite the fact that they were both holding their own conversation, they were also paying attention to what Brom was saying to Eragon since it had to do with magic.

_I believe that the handle of this sword is also a cryptex, _Harry said giving Scáth a grateful smile and stroking his scaly cheek before returning his attention back to the sword handle.

_What's a cryptex?_ Scáth asked curiously.

_It's a device, usually only about half a foot long, made of various types of materials, and has, on average, five turning wheels,_ Harry paused briefly as he listened intently to Brom explain about an ancient language. It apparently controlled everything in existence so long as you could find its name and how this language allowed one to perform magic if you knew how to access it. _An intriguing notion. Anyways, the wheels on the cryptex have anything ranging from letters and numbers to shapes and symbols. _

_What is the point of these devices? _Scáth questioned as they listened to Brom explain the limitations and dangers of magic and then watched as the others prepared their blankets for the night.

_To contain things,_ Harry answered simply as he started fiddling with the wheels of the cryptex handle of his sword. _Depending on the size of the cryptex interior, you can place anything you wish in side. Important documents, precious jewels, jewelry, money; so long as it would fit inside the cryptex you can place it within. _Harry paused as he stoked the fire to produce a little more light for him to see. _The thing about a cryptex though, is that you have to find the right sequence on the dials in order to open them. _

_What an interesting contraption,_ Scáth remarked as he yawned, displaying rows of bone white fangs. _But what do you think is inside this one?_

_Could be air for all I know,_ Harry answered with a shrug. _But I doubt we'll know for some time as this looks to be quite the puzzle. Sleep, I shall not be far behind. _

Scáth mumbled a few unintelligible words but was already off into the land of dreams. Harry chuckled at the silly dragon and returned his attention to the puzzle in his lap. He shifted the dials on the handle, trying to discern the correct pattern but he was unable to do so for long as the fire was almost out and made it nearly impossible for him to see the markings. That coupled with his own weariness quickly forced Harry into his blankets by Scáth's warm side. A few hours before noon the next day, Brom started educating the two of them on the ways of magic. He focused mostly on Eragon, since he was asking the questions and had been the one to use magic, but Harry learned from the lesson regardless. Harry found it very interesting that this ancient language that Brom spoke of could prevent people from lying and he stared in wonder at the bird that had flown from the branches to rest in the man's outstretched palm. Harry noted but ignored the segue into how the elves spoke fluently in the ancient language but had mastered the art of twisting the meaning of their words. Harry had lived with people like that before and knew how to deal with them. He did however, start slightly when Brom swung low on his saddle and plucked several pebbles from the path. He sifted through them before tossing one to Eragon and one to Harry.

"Might as well start your training in this as well," Brom said to Harry's questioning look. "Now, what I want both of you to do is lift the stone into the air and hold it there for as long as you can. The words you need to use are _stenr reisa._ Say them."

When Harry obediently restated the words he felt the stone in his palm wobble slightly before stilling. Eragon didn't notice, too focused on his own pebble, but Brom had and he looked at Harry with a deep frown on his face. His own curiosity piqued, Harry closed his eyes and sealed off his mind, wanting the peace that only seclusion could bring. Harry focused on the magic he could feel flowing through his body. He had never before paid it any mind but he had always felt it pulsing through his veins alongside his blood. When he got a good sense of the magic, he followed it back towards its source. It took him what felt like ages but he eventually located a fork in the flow of his magic where two separate sources met to combine into one mighty river. One branch was dark and colored green, red, and gold. The other branch was smaller than the first and made of white light. Knowing that the multicolored river belonged to his wizarding magics, Harry followed the path of the white light where it led him towards what could only be described as a bump within his consciousness. It was strange though. Harry knew this likely to be the magic of this land and a result of his bond with Scáth but he doubted that the bump would be spewing forth white light like a small spring.

_This explains why the stone wobbled,_ Harry thought to himself. An elated cry shattered Harry's revive and his eyes snapped open in time to see Eragon's pebble flop back down onto his palm. Harry grinned at the other boy's happiness and success.

"Not bad for your first time," Brom applauded. "Not many students would be able to get it right away."

"Why does my palm glow like that?" Eragon asked as Harry returned to examining the strange spring within his mind.

"No one's really sure but the Rider's always preferred to channel their magic through which ever hand bore the gedwëy ignasia," Brom said as he shifted the bandage on his wound. "It'd be best if we got you both some gloves in the next town. You both hide them well on your own but we don't want the glow to alert any enemies." Harry tuned them out as he contemplated why this bump in his mind was acting the way it was.

_Perhaps it is because you could already use magic before you bonded with me, _Scáth commented from his place in the clouds.

_Hmmm, maybe,_ Harry said thoughtfully. _The magic users in my world have channels, or veins if you will, that funnel our innate magic and bend it to our will. I suppose that it's possible that because I had these channels and used magic so frequently after I bonded with you, that this worlds type of magic became more openly connected to me instead of simply being there for me to access. _

_If that is the case then you must be careful, _Scáth counseled sternly and with concern in his voice. _You will undoubtedly be much stronger than most magic users but we don't know your limits with this magic alone. You will also have to be careful when you speak this language without intending to perform magic for you could easily cast a spell without meaning to. _

_Which is why I shall test myself very carefully and slowly,_ Harry explained as he returned his attention to his surroundings. _I have a feeling that my strength already exceeds Eragon's so most of this training will have to be done in private. I don't want anyone knowing about this. _

"Stenr reisa," Harry said, focusing solely on this new source of magic and keeping a very tight control over it. The stone obediently rose into the air but because of the tight control he kept over the magic, it rose slowly. From what Brom had said and what he had seen from Eragon Harry had expected a drain upon his energy but he felt almost nothing, even as the stone continued to rise. The stone was almost six inches above his hand and likely would have continued to climb had Harry not ceased the spell, causing the stone to flop back down onto his palm.

"It appears you both have some talent for this," Brom declared after giving Harry a piercing look. "Most new Riders would have taken months to perform their first spell. Now, again but be quicker about it." Eragon grumbled but Harry just sat there fiddling with the stone and waited. He would let Eragon succeed first before he rose the stone again so he didn't appear too advanced.

The day proceeded in this manner for some time. First Eragon would succeed in lifting his stone and then Harry would lift his a few moments later. Since Eragon was visibly straining in his use of magic and Harry wasn't even having to breathe hard, Harry attempted to emulate the other boy's strain as much as possible. It wasn't easy but he managed, though he could tell Brom wasn't fooled. The aged man didn't comment though so Harry assumed that either he agreed with Harry's efforts not to appear overly powerful or was simply trying to figure out why Harry was doing what he was doing. When Brom finally allowed them to stop, he started educating them in the ancient language, telling them what certain plants were, what the morning star was called. When night arrived and their sparring session had ended, Brom surprised Harry by coming up to him while he was trying to figure out the cryptex puzzle and quietly gesturing for Harry to follow him away from where Eragon and Saphira were already sleeping. Once they got a fair distance out of earshot, Brom questioned Harry on his strange behavior during their magic training.

"What is it like when you access magic?" Harry asked before he answered Brom's questions. "Is it like there is this solid bump in your mind, through which you can access magic?"

"I've never really thought about it before but yes that's what it feels like. Why?"

"I thought as much," Harry said as he fingered the pummel of his sword. He went on to explain what he had discovered during the day ending with, "It's my belief that the mingling of the two different types of magic have augmented and changed each other. I'm not sure how my magic has changed aside from becoming stronger but the magic of this land, the magic that you and Eragon use, has not only increased in strength but has become more tempered by magic; making it less dangerous." Harry paused briefly to collect his thoughts. "I have no doubt that should I exceed the rules of your world's magic then I will pay the same price as everyone else but I am much stronger than any new Rider would be by your counting and Eragon's examples."

"I'll not lie," Brom said gravely after the implications of what Harry had explained sunk in. "You've given me cause for great concern. I mean no disrespect but you remind me a great deal of Galbatorix for he was the last person, the last Rider, to display such advanced skills. Skills with which he has reaped much destruction and pain."

_It is an understandable opinion given the situation,_ Scáth counseled as Harry fought to keep his face free from his distaste at being compared to such evil. _Even if it is distasteful._

_I know_, Harry relented with a small sigh. _We have a problem though. If he distrusts us then he is liable to either betray us or stem our rather necessary education. We could survive without it but the skills we would have to use would attract trouble to us like gnats to rotting fruit._

_I have an idea though neither of us will particularly like it,_ Scáth said and at Harry's request divulged his idea. He was right, he didn't like it but it was necessary.

"I do not like chains being placed upon myself," Harry said aloud in a calm and slightly resigned tone. "But if it would ease your concerns, I will swear an oath in the ancient language that I will not turn into another Rider like Galbatorix." Brom openly stared at Harry in surprise and shock.

_I believe I am acquiring your taste for surprising people,_ Scáth rumbled in Harry's head, his voice deep with laughter.

"Such an oath should not be taken lightly Harry," Brom warned but Harry disregarded him.

"Evil has plagued my life Brom," Harry explained somewhat tersely. "Believe me when I say I'm the last person to become corrupt with power and start ravaging the land, killing everyone in my path. That being said, I am in a strange world that I did not grow up in and know little about despite your history lessons. I need your help. I cannot afford to have you distrust me and hinder my education because of it. An oath is my way of proving to you that I will not take what you teach me and turn on the world."

Brom stared at Harry for several long minutes, evaluating the man before him. Harry stood there passively, allowing the search. Finally Brom spoke. "I do not need an oath from you. I can see that you are not the kind of person to do anything remotely close to what Galbatorix has done. Fear not that your education will be slighted. I would, however, like to test you and see just how much stronger you are."

Since it was only an hour or so after sunset, Brom immediately started testing Harry's abilities. He gave Harry a slew of new words in the ancient language and had him perform a series of tasks ranging from lifting and manipulating a sphere of water from the Ninor, to manipulating sources of energy such as fire and light. He started out easy so Harry wouldn't surpass his limits, and quickly progressed to harder tasks. Most of the tasks Brom presented to Harry were well within his limits but the more they practiced, the more energy Harry was forced to use. As a result, the harder the tasks got the more tired he became and the less he could do. By the time they finished, Harry was panting with exertion and sweat beaded down his face. He had completed eighteen tasks, each more difficult than the last.

"Unbelievable," Brom remarked as they slowly made their way back to camp. "The strength you just exhibited would only be seen by someone with years if not decades of practice. I can only imagine what you would be able to accomplish if you were to utilize both your magic and a Rider's magic at the same time." They were silent for a time before speaking again just outside of camp. "I would love to hear more of the land you hail from as well. I have always wondered about the lands beyond Alagaësia's borders."

Harry stiffened almost imperceptibly but Brom caught the change in demeanor. Harry didn't respond for a few minutes but eventually said, "It is not something I like to talk about but I suppose I could tell you a few things." Not waiting for a response, Harry walked over to Scáth and lay down next to his midnight hide.

_I am glad that you are so strong in this type of magic, little one, _Scáth remarked as he curled around Harry protectively and draped one of his inky black wings over them both. _It eases my worries that it will endanger you should you have need of it and I am not around to be of assistance._

_You shall always be by my side my love,_ Harry assured as he stroked Scáth's scaly cheek. _Nothing will ever change that._ Scáth rumbled deeply in pleasure and they both soon drifted off into sleep

–Scene Break–

The days that followed fell into somewhat of a routine for Harry. Since he was so much more advanced than Eragon was, Harry took to flying during the morning hours with Scáth while Eragon practiced magic with Brom on the ground. Some days he would stay in the air, happily gliding among the clouds on Scáth's back, and others he would return to the ground around noon for lunch and travel with them for the rest of the day to continue with his education in the ancient language. On these days, he had to appear as if he were progressing along in the same fashion as Eragon for both him and Brom deemed it unwise for anyone to know of his advanced skills. As they neared Daret on the eighth day of their trek from Yazuac, Harry was forced to remain on the ground so as to avoid suspicion from anyone on the road that they might encounter.

"Scáth can see the villagers," Harry informed the other two as they cautiously approached the small village of Daret. "He says they look wary but alive." Harry neglected to mention that he could sense the various minds of the villagers. Through them, he noticed that they had seen their approach and were preparing for a possible attack. To be frank, Harry was surprised that Brom himself didn't know this himself. The man obviously had the capabilities to view things in another beings mind so Harry had to wonder why the man didn't use it. Harry found the idea of prying into people's minds and laying bare their secrets to be repugnant and immoral but he wasn't about to blind himself to an attack. Nevertheless, he attempted to avoid invading their privacy and focused mainly upon intentions, though in situations like this he couldn't help but catch snippets of memories.

"Any Urgals?" Eragon asked as they cautiously approached the town. "And how come Scáth does not hide with Saphira? Isn't he risking exposure?"

"As far as Scáth can tell there aren't any Urgals in the area," Harry said though he kept his right hand, which wasn't holding his horse's reins, near Bhuailteoir. "As for why he does not hide, Scáth is not as noticeable as Saphira is. Not to mention that during our time living on Vroengard he became very skilled at hiding among the clouds or appearing as no more than a large bird to any who would be looking towards the sky at him."

"As fascinating as that is," Brom interjected his voice stiff and his demeanor hard and warlike. "I thought you said he saw villagers here."

"He does," Harry assured as he surveyed the empty village. "They're on the roof tops surveying us. Given what happened at Yazuac it would not surprise me if Daret has experienced issues of their own and aren't revealing themselves because of it."

"Well either way I don't like it, let us leave," Brom said and spurred Snowfire into a gallop and Eragon quickly followed but Harry didn't.

He could see clearly in the eyes of the men that hid upon the roofs that they would defend their village with their lives and that they already had several encounters with Urgals and had only just managed to drive them off. As such, they were liable to attack at the slightest hint of danger. Thus was Harry's reasoning for calmly striding through the village on the back of his horse and why he smirked slightly when Brom and Eragon were forced to pull their steeds to a stop when two wagons came out from behind two houses and blocked their paths. From behind them a man leaped over and aimed his drawn bow at the three of them. Eragon foolishly raised his own bow.

'_Tis a shame that they have been forced to such measures,_ Scáth commented as the man informed them that they were surrounded and the archers on the roofs revealed themselves.

_At least they seem capable of defending themselves, _Harry responded as he sat relaxed in his saddle, knowing that none of the villagers would harm them unless given reason to.

_Odd,_ Scáth remarked after a few minutes of listening to Brom and the stranger converse through Harry.

_What?_ Harry questioned. He saw nothing in the conversation that would be considered odd.

_Since Saphira is so close to the town this time, I can see her from my high advantage point, _Scáth explained, giving Harry a glimpse of what he was looking at. _She looks to be extremely agitated and angry yet I can see no reason for it._

_Hmmm, yes that is odd,_ Harry answered before falling silent as he helped Eragon pack their supplies into their saddlebags. _Perhaps it is something that Eragon has told or said to her._

_Bah, it is useless to ponder over things we will likely find the answers to soon enough,_ Scáth grumbled and Harry felt rather than saw him angle out of the sky towards the trees lining the Ninor. _I shall meet you where Saphira waits along the Ninor. _Harry chuckled at the antics of his bonded as he followed Brom and Eragon through the trees.

"You seemed oddly at ease back there," Brom remarked after a short conversation with Eragon about sensing people's intentions.

"Saw no reason to be tense," Harry explained as he extracted the sleeve of his shirt from an irksome branch that decided it wanted to cling to him.

"There were sixty men with arrows pointed at you and you didn't see a reason to be tense?" Eragon asked incredulously

"They were defending their homes and we were hardly a threat to them," Harry explained calmly. "Given those factors one of two outcomes would have happened; death or passage. Under the circumstances, passage was far more likely."

Before either of them could respond, they reached the place where Saphira and Scáth were waiting patiently. Well, Scáth was waiting patiently. Saphira looked down right livid as she thrust her head in front of the horses, gaining all of their attention. The horses shifted nervously but Harry calmed his with soothing images. Harry, Brom, and Scáth watched curiously as Eragon and Saphira stared at each other in silent conversation. When Eragon dismounted, Harry quirked an eyebrow in surprise as Saphira knocked him down and pinned him to the ground, eliciting a startled cry from the brown haired youth.

_I don't think it was something he said to her, _Harry remarked to Scáth as they both looked on in mild surprise at the silent interaction between Rider and dragon. _At least not entirely._

"Well?" Brom questioned when Eragon adverted his gaze from Saphira's piercing sapphire eye.

"She wishes for me to ride her tomorrow." Eragon stated simply but Harry detected a note of fear to the boy's voice. Not entirely unreasonable really, given how their first flight had ended.

_I think I understand her source of irritation now,_ Scáth remarked with a small mental chuckle. _She is upset that he has neglected her and is undoubtedly agitated that he is constantly running into troublesome situations that put his life at risk._

_Yes and I have no doubt that you would feel the same if the situation were reversed,_ Harry said with his own concealed chuckle as Brom consented to Saphira's demand, much to Eragon's dismay, though the boy didn't let it show.

_Of course!_ Scáth said with a tone of both finality and amusement in his voice as he followed Saphira into the air. Harry smiled and spurred his horse into movement so the three of them could cover more ground since it was still daylight out.

That night, Harry was sitting off to the side of their camp so as to stay out of the way of Brom and Eragon's sparing match. He sat cross-legged against Scáth's side with Bhuailteoir laid across his knees. As he listened to the clacking of sticks, Harry would occasionally twist one of the wheels of the cryptex on the sword's handle. He was slowly making progress. Bit by bit the lines were starting to piece together but he still couldn't figure out what exactly the pattern to the engravings were. It was actually really beginning to frustrate him because he knew that if he could figure out the pattern then it would make his progress that much quicker. Scáth was a godsend. He was actually the reason Harry had made such progress already by pointing out two pieces that would fit together when Harry had missed them completely.

_Perhaps,_ Scáth said just as a resounding snap echoed through their campsite. Both of them looked up to see Brom and Eragon standing there with their mock swords broken. They watched silently for a few moments as Brom used magic to guard their blades and then proceeded to coach Eragon through the same process and then resumed their match. _Anyways,_ Scáth continued speaking. _Perhaps these markings are intended to form words. I have seen through you how you humans write words. Some of these markings, though only partially constructed, look like they might be able to form letters._

_I don't say this enough Scáth,_ Harry said with a grin as he realized his dragon was right. _But you are a complete and utter genius._ Harry could feel Scáth's embarrassment from that statement coming across their bond.

With that new information in mind, Harry made a good deal more of progress on solving the cryptex. He paused only briefly to spar with Brom, though it was quickly becoming pointless as his skill was growing to the point where he could match Brom and they ended up sparing for hours before the old man called it quits. When the sun was almost completely gone beneath the horizon, Harry finally was able to return to Scáth's side and resume his tinkering. When the light faded completely and the camp was filled with the sounds of the deep rhythmic breaths of everyone except him sleeping, Harry pulled out his wand, lit the tip, and stuck it behind his ear so he could see what he was doing. He didn't get more than a few words completed though, before he stopped in surprise.

_What is wrong Harry?_ Scáth asked sleepily. He had not been fully asleep, as neither of them ever fell into a deep sleep over the past three months because of the dangers that lurked on Vroengard, and he easily felt the shock radiating across their bond from Harry. Even in sleep, light as it was, the two never closed their minds from each other. They relied on that connection to keep them alive.

_Though I've only completed three words, which happen to be in Latin,_ Harry said as he shifted pulled his wand from its place in his ear and bent lower to make sure he wasn't seeing things. _I know what the rest of the words will say. _

_How so?_ Scáth asked, a little more alert now and he slid open one of his scaly eyelids with a click.

_They're unmistakable,_ Harry said as he straightened. His eyes had not lied; the words did indeed say what he thought they did. _The three words come from a very famous phrase which comes from a religious text in my world. _

_What do they say?_

"Now I am become death, destroyer of worlds," Harry recited in a deathly calm voice, disturbed by the implications of the words. The sense of foreboding that came with the recitation caused a tremor to rack up and down Scáth's and Harry's spine.

Before either of them could say anything more, the dials on Bhuailteoir's handle started spinning of their own accord. At a furiously fast pace, the wheels of the cryptex spun until all the Latin words were fully completed. Along the sides of the handle, leaving only a few centimeters worth of a gap around the words, were patterns resembling scales. When the wheels finished spinning, a line appeared, stretching from pummel to hilt and bisecting the words. With a small click the handle slid open along the line and revealed a hallow interior. Despite it being hallow, Harry paled slightly. There were two sets of open half circles supported by a small piece of metal. They were innocent looking enough but Harry knew what they were for and, by extension, so did Scáth.

_Do I dare?_ Harry questioned as he fiddled with the Elder Wand in his hand.

Scáth snorted quietly, a stream of black smoke drifting from his nose. _I do not pretend to understand the ways of your kind of magic but if that wand is as powerful as you suggest than it would be foolish to allow it to remain loose in the world where someone else could either steal it or stumble upon it if you lose it. At least this way you would be able to keep a close guard over it and a sword would be far less likely to end up slipping your attention and becoming lost._

_But if I were to place one or both of my wands in here,_ Harry replied with a hint of fear to his thoughts. _The sword itself would become both powerful and dangerous. As the words etched into its handle indicate, it would become death, the destroyer of worlds._

_It is already death little one,_ Scáth reasoned as he nudged the diamond studded pummel causing a slight ripple to traverse the blade. _At the moment, it may be nothing more than a weapon but it is a weapon of the endless consumer that is death. Adding the wands would undoubtedly make the blade powerful in the ways of magic but I sense that it would not be as terrible as you would think. No. I suggest you place the wands in the sword so as to keep them contained and in the same place. At least within the sword no one else will suspect that they are there and will not think there is more to the sword than a simple blade._

Harry was silent for several long minutes, just staring at the open handle of his sword. The implications and consequences of merging his wands with his sword ran through his head like a river flows off a cliff. It would make the sword more than a weapon. It would become a tool for mass destruction if Harry chose to wield it that way. But if he didn't merge them and he lost one or both of his wands and they fell into the wrong hands… he shuddered to think of the damage that could be wrought.

_Very well,_ he thought, both to himself and to Scáth.

Setting Bhuailteoir to the side, Harry shifted his position until he had his left leg propped up on his foot. He lifted up his pant leg and revealed his holy and phoenix feather wand, his first wand and the wand he loved above all others despite his use of the Elder Wand. It was strapped against his leg in the very same holster that he had used in his fourth year. He pulled it out of the holster and let his pant leg fall back down to his ankle. Very carefully, Harry slipped the tip of the holy wand into the slightly wider hole that burrowed into the blade so the wand could fit and then snapped it into place in the half circle clamps that were designed to hold the wands in place. Then he did the same with the Elder wand. Since the tip of the Elder Wand was lit and Harry's only source of light, Harry expected to be plunged into darkness when the tip disappeared into the metal blade. To his surprise, the white strip that resembled a lightning bolt and stretched from the cross guard to the tip of the blade began emitting a soft glow, no brighter than a single wand light.

_Interesting,_ Harry commented as he slid shut the handle. When the two pieces met, the line vanished and the wheels scrambled themselves to leave it looking like an ordinary sword handle with scale like patterns on it.

_Is the glow from the wand light or is it because the wands are simply there? _Scáth questioned.

"Knox," Harry said and the glow vanished, answering the question. _I suppose it acts like a giant wand now. _

_A wand with a very sharp edge,_ Scáth said as he curled around Harry and draped a wing over them. _Sleep, it is late and you need rest._ Harry chuckled but sheathed Bhuailteoir and laid against Scáth's scaly neck and went to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4: Complications

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing

* * *

CHAPTER FOUR: COMPLICATIONS

Harry sat on the bed in the room he and Eragon shared. They had arrived in Teirm, a port city on the coast of Alagaësia, a few days ago. They day after they had left Daret, the three of them had lost the trail of the Ra'zac. Since Eragon had been in the air with Saphira, Brom and Harry backtracked until they found where they had disappeared. When Eragon discovered a flask full of a liquid called Seithr oil, the same liquid that had caused the burns on his uncle, the three of them had decided to travel to this port city in order to track the Ra'zac through the purchases of the oil since it was apparently very rare and expensive. The days after that fell into a simple routine. Eragon would fly in the morning with Saphira while Harry would remain on the ground and receive more tutelage in the ancient language and some of the finer complexities of magic. Since he didn't really need to practice any spells all Brom did was give him a much wider array of words and to get Harry into the habit of speaking it more fluently, held various conversations with him in the ancient language.

The day after they had arrived in Teirm, Brom and his friend Jeod had gone to the castle to see if they could get access to the records they needed, but were unsuccessful. The days thence were spent by Brom educating Eragon on how to read. Since it had been a very long time since Harry had had the chance to enjoy the comforts of civilized living, he had merely spent his days relaxing and recovering from months of living in dangerous environments and travelling. He had, in fact, yet to leave the house since the first day. That was actually due to a couple of different reasons, not just because he was dead tired from the travelling and the fighting to stay alive.

_Are you ok little one?_ Scáth asked worriedly. Though they were apart and Scáth was staying outside of the city with Saphira, their connection was still open, allowing the two of them to communicate freely and to sense each other's emotions. This was how Scáth knew that Harry had not slept well over the past few nights.

_I am as well as can be expected,_ Harry said as he got up and walked over to the washbowl on the dresser in front of a mirror. _I just have not had the opportunity for my mind to wander since I arrived in Alagaësia until now._

_Your past? _Scáth asked gently, knowing this was a very sensitive subject for Harry.

_Aye, my past,_ Harry responded with a heavy sigh as several images flew across his mind and, by extension, Scáth's.

_You miss it don't you?_

Harry splashed water on his face and dried it with a towel before answering. _I miss what it was and should have been, not what I discovered it to be._ Scáth recoiled slightly from Harry's mind as a deep and all encompassing well of betrayal, pain, and despair revealed itself at Harry's words. Quick as a flash though, it was gone, buried deep within Harry's mind and sealed away so Harry could still function.

_Do not despair Harry,_ Scáth said as he enveloped Harry in a mental hug to which Harry smiled and returned the embrace. _Remember you are not alone anymore and this is not some fabrication. You and I will spend eternity together, even should death take us into its everlasting embrace. _

_I love you my shadow,_ Harry responded with a happy smile.

_And I love you,_ Scáth said before the two of them allowed their bond to settle down to a background hum that gave them both pleasure in simply knowing that it existed.

When their conversation had ended, Harry glanced at the mirror he was standing in front of and ended up doing a double take. At first he thought the mirror was distorted or something but under closer examination he saw that it and his reflection were both perfectly fine. However, his reflection had changed since the last time he had been able to look into a mirror, some four and half months ago and about two weeks before he came to this land and discovered Scáth's egg. His eyes had become slanted slightly, his eyebrows were thinner than they used to be, and his ears had tapered to small points. All together, he looked like a mix of elf and human, though with more human traits than elfin.

_How did this happen?_ Harry wondered in shock as he traced one of the points on his ears._ And why has no one mentioned this before._

_The changes are not as prominent as you think, _Scáth answered. _It is only prominent to you because you were used to how you looked before and have not seen yourself in many months. Also, your hair hides the points of your ears when it is not tucked behind them. _

_How did this happen though? I have no elf in my blood._

Scáth was quiet for a few minutes, thinking. _I do not know for certain but I think it is because of our bond. It is the only explanation I can think of._

_Well…_ Harry said as he examined his appearance more thoroughly, stretching and relaxing the skin around his eyes and looking for other changes. _I'm not really complaining. It's just weird. _

Scáth merely rumbled in amusement and fell silent. Harry rearranged his messy hair, as much as he could, to cover his now slightly pointed ears, strapped on Bhuailteoir and left the room. Eragon was already with Brom undergoing his lessons and Jeod was off doing something or another. Since he had no desire to remain indoors, as he had done the past three days, Harry made his way out of the house in the thoughts of exploring Teirm as Eragon had done the day after they got there. Idly he meandered through the streets, occasionally peaking into a store. He quickly got bored though. Compared to the sheer vastness of the cities he had left behind, Teirm was small and offered little in the way of entertainment. As it was, Harry was making his way back towards Jeod's house around noon, intent on getting food and drink and then possibly indulging himself in one of Jeod's many books.

He paused though, when he came to the street with Jeod's house. The herbalist's house that Harry had paid little attention to when they arrived now caught his eye. The woman, Angela he recalled, was very strange and had an even stranger pet. When Harry had first come into contact with the woman he thought nothing of her but when his mental eye noticed that she had an impenetrably shielded mind, he took a bigger interest. Very few human's minds were capable of concealing themselves and even fewer were capable of doing it so completely. Truly, Brom and Eragon were the only one's whom Harry had encountered that shielded their minds, not counting the Urgals from Yazuac. What struck him as even more odd, was the woman's pet, if was even a pet. Harry had encountered another presence from within Angela's shop. It was sharp and cunning and while it took note of his presence, classified him as irrelevant and flicked Harry's consciousness away with barely a flicker of thought. Before he had been cast aside though, Harry had gleaned only the fact that the creature was some type of feline.

Curious, Harry entered the overgrown herb shop. If he was lucky, he might be able to whittle out some answers from the strange and eccentric woman, if only for the questions he held about plants. Brom's lessons hadn't delved too much into plants and their attributes but rather focused simply on naming things and learning about history and the ancient language. As it was, Harry knew little about the plants themselves and he was curious since he had always enjoyed gardening and other such things. Harry paused briefly once inside to allow his eyes to adjust and then turned his gaze to the shops interior. To his surprise, the store was filled with boxes. Cupboard doors that once held a variety of things were now left open and empty. Pots that hung from the ceiling and contained vine like plants and pots that contained various flowers of different colors were now stuffed hastily into boxes that were left open. The counters were bare, save for boxes, and the windows were striped of curtains.

"I'm sorry," the curly brown haired herbalist said as she burst out from the back room. "But my shop is closed and as you can see will not be opening up again."

"My apologies," Harry said with a hint of disappointment in his voice. "I did not know." He turned to leave but froze when a large black cat with a shaggy black mane, two white fangs protruding over its jaw and red glowing eyes jumped onto a closed box next to him and the door.

_You were not meant to be here,_ a voice suddenly spoke within Harry's mind to his surprise. Harry stared dumbfounded at the cat and at a loss for words. Despite what logic told him, he knew that the voice came from the cat. _And I do not mean in this shop._

"I… How?" Harry stuttered in amazement, knowing that this strange cat knew that he did not hail from this land.

_Silence and listen closely land walker,_ the cat said with a tone of urgency in his voice. _My name is Solembum and I am a werecat. You will not know of me and my kind but at the moment that is irrelevant._ The cat flicked its tale in seeming agitation. _Your presence here has changed more than you know or realize. Even more than the white bearded one that sired the other Rider realizes. Your very presence has caused change to run through the land like ripples in the water._

"What–" Harry started but was cut off.

_Silence! _Solembum hissed warningly. _I'll not repeat myself. You must travel east to the city of Gil'ead and you must do so with great haste. Within the prison there, you will find an elf maiden. You _MUST _rescue her for she is in great danger of being broken, ravaged, and killed. If she falls, so too will all of Alagaësia. The other Rider was meant to rescue her but your presence has caused events to move at a swifter pace. If you do not save her soon these entire lands will fall to ruin. _The cat paused and dug its claws into the crate it was standing on. _Consult with the bearded one; inform him of what I have told you and of what I am. He will be reluctant but will allow you to go. When you arrive in Gil'ead, beware of the Shade with the blood red hair and maroon eyes. Your power is great Changer but it is not your destiny to defeat him and if you challenge him openly and attempt to cut out his heart, you will fail. Go now. GO! _Solembum punctuated his last word with an angry half meow half roar. Harry started and bolted from the shop and quickly entered Jeod's house. When asked, the butler directed Harry to the study where Brom and Eragon were.

"Excuse the interruption," Harry said, urgency pounding through his voice. "But I need a word with you Brom. In private," he added with Brom hesitated briefly.

"Alright," Brom conceded after a moment's thought. "We were about to break for lunch anyways. Go on Eragon, I'll be along shortly." Eragon looked irritatingly between Harry and Brom before reluctantly getting up and leaving. He obviously did not like being excluded from things. When he shut the door, Harry whispered a line in the ancient language to ensure they would not be listened in on. "What seems to be the problem Harry?"

"What do you know of werecats?" Harry asked causing the man to gape at him in astonishment.

"Very little actually," Brom said after a few moments. "Like the elves and the dwarves they tend to guard their secrets very closely. They once openly walked the land though, during the height of the Riders' power. A few of them chose become companions of sorts to a rare few. They flitted among the fringes of stories and society, rarely giving advice. When they do though, it should not be ignored."

"Then I need to go a city called Gil'ead," Harry declared when Brom finished. When Brom questioned him, Harry explained his encounter with the werecat next door.

"This is… disturbing." Brom said with a dark frown on his face.

"Do you know of this elf Solembum spoke of?" Harry asked getting antsy and wanting to be off but needing answers before he left.

"I have my suspicions but due to oaths I swore long ago I cannot say much else," Brom answered as he shifted to stand behind Jeod's desk and started rifling through the drawers. "I am hesitant to let you go but if what this Solembum said is true then I have no choice. Your training is much farther along than Eragon's and you are far less stubborn and thick headed than he is and will approach the situation with more caution than he." Brom exclaimed triumphantly and pulled out a scroll and unfurled it over the desk, revealing it to be a map. "Gil'ead is here," he planted a gnarled finger on the map. Harry leaned over and examined where he was pointing. "It is on the southern edge of Lake Isenstar. It is a large city and I suggest you and Scáth approach at night when you are less likely to be seen. My biggest concern though, is this Shade the werecat spoke of."

"What of it?" Harry asked in confusion. Neither Brom nor the werecat had explained what a Shade was.

"Shade's are abominations of magic and sorcery," Brom said with a scowl. "They are formed when a sorcerer becomes overwhelmed by spirits they summon. A Shade is a vile creature that seeks only to sate its bloodlust with the slaughter of anything in their path and their strength, both physical and magical, often surpasses that of the elves. What this Solembum suggests is that a Shade is working for the empire and that is great cause for worry and that the elf is in the hands of both the Shade and the empire is cause for even greater concern." Brom paused to collect his thoughts while Harry and, through him, Scáth examined the map to get a good lay of the land. "If indeed you come across a Shade like the werecat said then you would do well to flee for your life."

_What do you think about all this Scáth? _Harry asked as he continued to examine the map.

_I think we should listen to this werecat,_ Scáth answered after a few moments. _We cannot allow that black minded and twisted oath-breaker to gain complete dominance over the lands. It will wrought only destruction and pain for many people._

"Harry," Brom said somberly before Harry could reply to Scáth. "I let you do this knowing that you have a good chance of success but there are other things you must know."

"Like what?" Harry asked curiously, concerned about the display of weariness in the normally strong man.

"I can feel my time in this life slipping away like water through a net," Brom said as he sat heavily into a chair. "I do not have much longer and I am doing everything I can to teach Eragon as much as I can without pushing him too far and killing him. This includes keeping him from the Varden, who are allies to the elves and the Riders and oppose Galbatorix." Brom ran a hand over his face and Harry noted the absence of his sapphire ring with the strange symbol on it. "I fear though that when I pass, Eragon will have no choice but to go there and that concerns me greatly."

"Why?" Harry asked as he pulled up a chair of his own.

"Because I have had several conversations with Jeod and they have led me to only one conclusion, especially when I took into account the circumstances of how Eragon came across Saphira's egg," Brom answered grimly. "The Varden has a traitor or traitors in their midst. If this is the case, and Eragon and you are forced to go to the Varden because I am dead, then promise me something, Harry. Both you and Scáth, please promise me something."

"If it is within our power to grant," Harry replied after a quick consult with Scáth.

"Promise me that you will protect Eragon," Brom said in an almost desperate voice. "Promise me that you will protect my son."

Harry was taken aback briefly by the declaration, though truly he wasn't all that startled by it. He may not have paid much attention to it but Solembum had all but said Brom was Eragon's father when he spoke to Harry. With a somber and grim smile and in the ancient language Harry vowed, "Should you die, Scáth and I will, to the best of our ability, protect your son, Eragon, should he need it, whenever and wherever we can."

"Thank you Harry," Brom whispered, almost inaudibly before he suddenly became himself again and all traces of tender emotions gone. "Now be gone with you. Time is of the essence. But Harry," he added just as Harry laid his hand on the doorknob. "Should the four of you be forced to go to the Varden, be sure to guard your mind; secrets of the Rider belong to the Riders and no others. If there is a spy among the Varden as I suspect then we cannot allow anything that you or Eragon know to fall into the wrong hands."

"I assure you they won't get anything from me," Harry said grimly and then left the room and house all together, pausing only briefly to gather his possessions and food rations.

Once he had everything he needed, Harry quickly left Teirm through the gate he had entered less than five days ago. He didn't take his horse for he would have no need. Harry walked at a swift pace until he was well beyond Teirm's borders and hidden by the expanse of trees that covered the area around the port city. Following the pull of his bond with Scáth, Harry wove through the trees until he came to a small clearing that was a good distance from Teirm with the black dragon waiting in the clearing. He set his things down and pulled out his rolled up skin blanket from the pack Brom had given him just before he left Jeod's house. Given that he had continuously added to it over the months he and Scáth spent on Vroengard, the blanket was roughly the size of a large comforter, what would be considered a king size blanket in his world. Scáth, knowing what he was about to do, crouched down low enough to allow Harry to toss the blanket over his shoulders where Harry would normally sit. After that, Harry spent the remainder of the day light hours mimicking Brom's process of crafting a light saddle out of his blanket, modifying and speeding up the process slightly with the use of magic. It wasn't that big of sacrifice for him since he always slept against the warm and scaly side of his dragon.

_Are you ready? _Scáth asked as Harry settled into the new and furry saddle.

_Are you? I do not want you falling out of the sky because you are tired._ Harry countered with concern. The sun was already below the horizon and it was quickly getting too dark to see properly.

_Fear not,_ Scáth said as he rose to his full height and stretched his wings. _The last few days of rest have left me with plenty of energy. _Without waiting for a response, Scáth leapt into the air and gave several powerful beats of his wings and took off into the night. He rose steadily for a few minutes before angling his flight east towards The Spine, continuing to rise as he sped across the lands. Harry was silent for several minutes, simply enjoying being in the air with his partner of mind, heart, and soul. Scáth too simply enjoyed being with Harry, despite that they were both flying towards danger.

_Did you tell Saphira where we are headed? _Harry questioned an hour or so into the flight when Scáth started gliding through the peaks of the mountains.

_No,_ Scáth answered simply. _I did not think it wise to do so. She would've told Eragon and Eragon would begin to ask questions and it would've sown doubt and distrust. Besides, Brom will likely tell one or both and he will be better equipped to prevent them from growing distrustful of us._

_Hmmm, yes you are probably right._ Harry said after a few moments thought. _Still, it is sad that distrust is so common. _

_But understandable given that war ravages the land,_ Scáth responded wisely.

_Understandable indeed,_ Harry agreed and they fell silent again for some time before speaking up again. _I do not like the path I see before us my shadow. It is reminiscent of the world I left behind and that was a world fraught with fear, pain, destruction, and death and not all of it was my own. Hundreds if not thousands of people, magical or not, suffered under the hands of a maniac and likely still do… and it is because of me their suffering endures. _

Scáth remained silent for several long minutes. So long in fact, that Harry began to suspect that his winged companion might not speak up again. His suspicions proved groundless however when Scáth asked, _what is it that makes you think their continued suffering is your fault, Harry?_

Harry hesitated, pondering the wisdom of divulging more of his past. Scáth's voice was gentle though and held no scorn or derision Harry would have expected after a statement such as the one he made. So, Harry divulged more of his past. _Before I was born, a prophecy was made of a child with the power to vanquish a very powerful and very malicious Dark wizard. He was the darkest wizard ever to walk in my world. At the time it was unclear as to whom the prophecy spoke as it could've easily referred to two children that were born at the end of the seventh month; me and one other. _Harry paused briefly as he shifted in his saddle and gazed at the stars. _Due to certain lines in the prophecy and the happenings that transpired a year and a few months after my birthday, it became clear that I was the child of the prophecy._

_Do you know the full extent of this prophecy?_ Scáth asked as he caught the currents of a thermal and was pushed closer to the eastern edges of The Spine.

_I was unaware that the prophecy even existed until two weeks before I ran from my world and ended up here,_ Harry said as he struggled not to think overly much of what had happened that fateful night at the Ministry of Magic. _But yes I do know the full extent of the prophecy. At least, _he added with some scorn and aggravation. _I believe I do. _

_May I hear what you know?_ Scáth asked gently and Harry showed him a memory of him sitting in Dumbledore's office, listening to the old man as he explained about the prophecy and its contents. He did his best to temper the feelings of rage, hatred, fury, pain and anguish he had been feeling at the time but he still felt Scáth flinch slightly at the intensity of the feelings. When the memory finished, Scáth wriggled beneath Harry like a giant sea serpent of the sky but his flight path didn't diminish in the slightest. _The more I learn of that man the more I do not like him and the more I desire to rake my claws over his flesh._

_Now there's a sight I'd like to see,_ Harry said chuckling in amusement.

_Before I give my thoughts on this prophecy,_ Scáth inquired in a soft and questioning voice. _May I hear of what transpired to make it clear you were the child of the prophecy?_

Harry sighed heavily and ran a hand through his already windblown hair. _I do not know the full extent of that night's happenings as no one has taken the time to fully explain things to me. However, _he paused as a gust of wind buffeted Scáth's leathery membranes, causing him to stumble in his flight and scramble slightly to correct the disturbance. _I have inferred much of what happened from things that were said and things I discovered on my own. On that night, the Dark Lord, as he declared himself, personally came to the house where my parents had lived and hidden themselves through difficult but powerful magics. The magics they used would conceal themselves completely from anyone but those they chose. Unfortunately, they placed their trust within the wrong people and they were betrayed. That night, my mother cast herself between Voldemort, the Dark Lord, and myself. Such a willing and loving sacrifice tapped into an ancient and powerful type of magic, which created an insurmountable shield that reflected a death spell Voldemort cast on me back on himself. It destroyed his body and he spent the next thirteen years as nothing more than a wraith. _

Scáth wriggled once again, this time there was a distinct edge of anger and agitation to it. _I say again the more I learn about this bearded fool, the more I wish to tear into his hide. By my conclusions that prophecy has been completed and fulfilled and any further involvement or lack thereof on your part is purely arbitrary._

_How so? _Harry asked in confusion.

_You say that this Dark Lord, this Voldemort, spent thirteen years as a spirit wraith after he encountered you, yes?_ Scáth questioned firmly but not unkindly. At Harry's nod he continued. _Then by rights, you fulfilled your role in the prophecy. You stopped him and for thirteen years, the world endured a time of peace. That he came back is no fault of your own and if any ever believed or suspected that he would return and did nothing to prepare for it then it is their fault that they now suffer, not yours. Do not despair the circumstances and troubles of the world you left behind for it is their problems and not yours. Even this world's troubles are not yours to bear for if you wish we could simply fly away and never return. _Scáth paused to avoid a down draft of cold air that would've caused them to drop several hundred feet. _Furthermore, should you take up the problems of this world, as you and I have already begun to do, then we would not bear their burden alone. From what Brom has said, there are hundreds of inhabitants of Alagaësia attempting to fight this war and so win their freedom. _

Harry was stunned against Scáth's impenetrable logic and the affable yet unyielding tone in which he delivered it. There were undercurrents of anger in his voice but Harry knew it was not directed at him but rather at the happenings of Harry's life before he came to Alagaësia. _I never thought of it that way before._ He admitted after several minutes of stunned silence

_You were too close to the situation,_ Scáth explained as if it were obvious. _Do you feel better?_

_It's still a bit of a shock,_ Harry admitted as he laid down on Scáth's neck and hugged him. _But yes, I do._

_Good,_ Scáth said with a happy hum.

The two of them continued to fly into the night in companionable silence. When they finally passed the edge of The Spine, Harry finally spoke up again. _We should find a safe place to rest._

_That isn't necessary. I'm not that tired yet and the skies are clear and easy going for some miles yet. _

_I know that you silly dragon,_ Harry chuckled. _But from that map it didn't look like it was that far to Gil'ead. On foot it would no doubt take several days to get to Gil'ead but that time would likely be cut down to only a few days at most. Given that the weather is calm and we have no head wind and are already on the other side of The Spine, it would not surprise me if we arrived at Gil'ead some time tomorrow. I don't know about you, _Harry reached out a finger and scratched underneath one of Scáth's midnight scales,_ but I, for one, would rather approach the city at night when no one can see us. _

Scáth emitted a coughing growl and a plume of black smoke came out of his mouth and blew back at Harry. _Stop that,_ he said trying to shake Harry's fingers away. _It tickles._

_Oh we're ticklish are we?_ Harry asked in a teasing voice.

_I most certainly am not!_ Scáth denied resolutely but he continually tried to avoid Harry's fingers. _And I see your point but if you don't stop trying to tickle me I will dip you in a frozen lake. _

Harry burst out laughing even as Scáth angled his wings to descend towards a small thicket of trees that was nestled around a small pond. It was situated a few miles east of the last mountain of The Spine. When they landed, Harry slid down Scáth's front left leg. With a few sentences in the ancient language, he erected several wards some yards away from where they would camp so as to divert any trespassers, prevent people from looking in their direction, and to alert Harry and Scáth should anyone attempt to breach the wards. After a quick serving of his rations, Harry settled down to rest. The sun was coming up and he had been up for just under twenty-four hours now and was very tired. The two of them ended up sleeping through most of the next day and it wasn't until the sun was half way towards the western horizon that they finally woke.

_Do you need to hunt?_ Harry asked as he stretched lazily when he came out from under Scáth's warm wing.

_Not for at least another day,_ Scáth said as he did a pretty good impression of a cat that just woke up. _Come; let us be off._

Without further ado, Harry climbed up Scáth's scaly leg and settled into the saddle. True to Harry's prediction, five hours into their flight and about an hour past midnight, Gil'ead came into view. It was still several hours away and the only reason they could see it was because they were very high up, the entire land below them was flat, and the city was dotted with several lights. When the sun began to peak over the horizon, Scáth angled northward and landed near the shore of Isenstar lake some distance west from the actual town. Harry would have to approach on foot so as to avoid any undue attention. Scáth would fly closer to town before finding a secluded spot nearby to hide in case he was needed.

_You should hunt while I'm in the town,_ Harry advised as he walked down the road leading to Gil'ead. _I do not know how long I will be and you need to keep your strength up. _

_I'll not leave you without back up with a Shade lurking about._ Scáth declared firmly and with a hint of a growl in his voice.

_Surely there's some deer or some such animal nearby that you could eat without going too far,_ Harry argued stubbornly. _Maybe some fish from the lake._

_Where I would be exposed for all and a sundry to see? _Scáth asked incredulously. _I think not. Do not worry about me for the time being. Just keep your eyes peeled for that Shade so he does not sneak up on you. _

_Very well,_ Harry said with a sigh as he pulled his black hooded cloak tighter around himself, glad that he had long ago fixed his eyes so he didn't need glasses.

For most of the day, Harry travelled along the road. The closer he got to the city the more populated the road became. He passed several farms before the walls of the city sprung up in the distance. Not wanting to seem too out of place, Harry pushed back his hood slightly to reveal his face but for the most part still kept the hood up, the better to hide his slightly tapered ears. As he passed unhindered through the city gates around noon, he kept a keen watch over the minds swirling about him. It was a bit disconcerting to have so many minds clamoring around him, screaming at him for attention. Almost none of the minds took notice of the fact that he was watching, not even the soldiers, but there was one heavily shielded mind. It knew he was there. It knew he was watching and it was watching him in turn from behind its thick walls. Harry sensed enormous power coming from the mind and he instantly retreated to a safe distance, mentally anyways. He didn't withdraw completely into himself and shielding his own mind, that would've been stupid, but rather backed off to the point where his mind and the shielded mind were no longer rubbing against each other. In his mind, it looked as if there was a black whole among a sea of stars. The darkness weaved and bobbed through the pinpricks of light as the being, what Harry assumed to be the Shade, moved about the city.

A sudden spear of light shot from the void and made straight for his mind. Using what little mental acuity he had learned from his horrid Occlumency lessons with Snape, Harry mentally leapt aside even as he continued on his way towards a nearby tavern. It wasn't easy to battle mentally while still moving physically but thankfully some of the creatures on Vroengard had attempted to grapple mentally with him so he had managed to perfect the method. The presence of the Shade froze in shock at having missed its target. Harry couldn't blame it. From his lessons with Brom, he knew that such a thing as mentally leaping out of the way wasn't even considered possible. Magicians and the like in this world tended to grapple head on in a scenario that left one victor and one loser.

_Here,_ came Scáth's voice while the Shade was still preoccupied with his astonishment. A strange tingling sensation fell over Harry's mind as he paid the barman with a few of the coins Brom had given him and took his drink over to an isolated corner and sat down. The lights of the minds around him vanished completely and his mind was left in the darkness. It would have been unnerving if his bond with Scáth hadn't remained active.

_What did you do?_ Harry questioned curiously, as he took a small swallow of his pint of mead. He wasn't about to get drunk but it would seem strange if he just sat there with a full mug for possible hours on end.

_I've hidden your mind from anyone aware of the mental realm. _Scáth answered as Harry covertly watched a line of soldiers enter the tavern. They appeared to be off duty but Harry didn't allow that to lull him into a false sense of security. The tavern he had chosen was the only one near the prison. Harry had chosen the tavern specifically so he could run reconnaissance. His plan had been to simply sit in the corner and survey the nearby minds of the prisoners but he doubted that was a possibility now. _Similar to how I hid my mind from Saphira and Brom in Carvahall so they would not notice me. _

_Tricky tricks from a tricky dragon,_ Harry said with a small chuckle. _Will I still be able to survey other people's minds?_

_If you were the one with this ability then yes. Unfortunately, since I am the one who is concealing your mind and its very presence, you will not be able to watch people's minds without revealing your own. Given that the Shade is now aware of you or at least of your presence, then that would not be wise. _

_Well, _Harry paused as he listened intently to some of the soldiers about a prisoner. Apparently, this prisoner had incapacitated several of their colleagues in more ways than one; one of which was sexually. Evidently, some of the soldiers that guarded the prison could no longer get it up no matter how hard they tried and the healers couldn't fix them either. _Then this endeavor is likely going to take longer than I originally planned. _

_Unfortunately,_ Scáth agreed, having been privy to Harry's plan because of their constantly open bond. _However, with the Shade lurking about and aware of your presence it is a sacrifice that needs to be made. The longer the denizens of Alagaësia are ignorant of our presence the longer we have an advantage. Do not take too long though. We do not know how much longer the elf can last._

_I agree, though from what I hear she is putting up one hell of a fight._ Harry said with a smirk as he listened to another recounting of how the prisoner, whom he believed was the elf, had singlehandedly left four guards drooling and catatonic. _You might as well go hunt. I'm not going to do anything until night._

_No need,_ Scáth said in a smug tone. _A young buck made the mistake of trying to dash through my hiding place._

Harry's only response was to grin and take another sip of his mead. As he set down the mug, his scalp prickled with a familiar but entirely unpleasant feeling. With an annoyed scowl, Harry griped Bhuailteoir's handle under the table, hoped this would work, and rapped it sharply against his leg. The familiar sensation of a raw, cold egg spread over his body just as the door to the tavern slammed open. The whole tavern fell silent as a tall and thin man garbed maroon robes stalked slowly into the room. He had blood red hair, dead white skin, and maroon eyes. Harry shivered at those eyes. They were too similar to Voldemort's. The Shade, for it was obvious he was the Shade Solembum spoke of, walked over to the bar and spoke with the barman.

"Who just came in here?" The Shade asked in a silky smooth voice.

"Nothing but travelers," The barman stuttered, his hand shaking slightly as he wiped a glass. "M-most took to their rooms but one went over to that corner with a drink." He pointed towards Harry corner and of course, only his mug could be seen.

"Are you lying to me?" The Shade asked dangerously when he saw neither body nor mind in Harry's corner.

"N-n-no sir!" The barman stuttered as he went very pale. "I s-s-swear it. A man wearing a hood and green eyes was sitting in that corner not but two minutes ago before yourself came in."

"You!" The Shade snapped at the off duty soldiers who immediately jumped to attention. "Search the rooms! Every man with green eyes is to be brought before me now!"

_Well isn't this just a big ball of fun,_ Harry remarked sarcastically as the soldiers scrambled to obey the Shade's orders.

_This may prove to be an opportunity,_ Scáth reasoned while Harry kept a keen eye on the Shade's movements. _You could slip into the prison and rescue the elf while the Shade is preoccupied with hunting you down. _

Harry was silent as he contemplated that idea. He was forced to move quickly out of his corner when he noticed that the Shade was moving towards him. _No,_ he finally said as he hid in a different shadowed corner. _Everyone is alert and on guard. If I were to attempt to get at the elf now, then we would likely have to fight our way both in and out of the prison. It'd be better to wait until everyone calms down. _

_And if they don't? _

_Then blood will be shed and the world will know we exist._ Harry said grimly as he fingered the black diamond set into Bhuailteoir's pummel.

"These two are the only ones we found with green eyes sir!" A soldier said as they came out of a hallway near the back of the room with two men in their midst. One was a weathered old man with light green eyes and tattered brown hair and the other was a young man who bore a striking resemblance to the first but had sandy blond hair. They were likely father and son given the resemblance and the same light green eyes.

"Are either one of these men the one whom you claimed bought a drink?" The Shade demanded of the bartender.

"N-no sir," The bartender said nervously. "If he isn't in the rooms, he might have slipped out the back door. It's left open at all times for the patrons who have rooms but come back after hours."

Clearly agitated, the Shade whirled around in a flurry of robes stalked towards the hall that led to the rooms and the back door. He shoved the soldiers out of his way with a snarl and continued on his way. Harry stood passively in his shadowy corner near the tavern's fireplace. He wanted to leave the tavern but deemed it inadvisable. Since they wouldn't actually be looking for him here anymore this was actually the safer place to be right now. The soldiers, after picking themselves up, followed the Shade out of the room. Harry heard terse orders to scour the city for any traveler with green eyes and then the sounds of clinking armor as the soldiers rushed to obey.

_It seems as if I have agitated a beehive._ Harry said in an annoyed tone as he moved back over to his previous seat. _Why is it that I can go nowhere without attracting attention, even in this world?_

_Because fate has chosen you to be an agent of change Harry, _Scáth said softly and gently, he knew how Harry felt about such things as fate and destiny.

_Yeah, well if I ever meet fate then I'll ring him a new eye socket,_ Harry snarled though with no real heat. He hated fate and destiny and all that crap but he had long ago resigned himself to the fact that his life would always be filled with strange happenstances that he had no control over. Scáth chuckled but didn't say anything more. Honestly, he agreed with Harry's sentiment since he was privy to most of Harry's past life. There were only a few things that Harry kept from Scáth and those were usually thing that were too painful for Harry to discuss, like what had driven Harry to run away from his previous life and attack his mentor in the process.

For the remainder of the day light hours Harry sat in the tavern waiting for night while outside soldiers rushed from house to house, alley to alley, searching for any sign of a mysterious traveler with green eyes. Hardly any travelers were found fitting the description but the soldiers gathered anyone nearby with green eyes. The Shade returned only once, just before sunset, and forcibly retrieved the now terrified bartender. Harry followed them out and watched as the soldiers lined up the people with green eyes they had gathered. The Shade demanded if the barman recognized any of the people. When the bartender denied any of them being the one that had walked into his bar, the Shade grew furious and backhanded the burly bartender and sent him flying several feet away. Then he drew his sword, intending to slay everyone before him.

"Thrysta!" Harry whispered harshly, pulling violently on the flow of magic.

Before the Shade could so much as lift his blade against one of the innocent villagers, he suddenly went flying through the air and crashed through the front of a house twenty yards away. The soldiers and villagers shifted and stared in shock while simultaneously looking for who had dared to attack such a powerful being. They all turned their attention back to the wrecked house as the Shade dragged himself to his feet. His fury shone clearly from his maroon eyes and he looked ready to murder the entire town.

"Foveo," Harry whispered, keeping his left hand on Bhuailteoir.

He could've used the ancient language but the energy used to fling the Shade twenty yards away was a little more than he anticipated and he didn't want to exhaust himself. As the Shade stepped out of the ruined wall, several pieces of wood lifted in the air and, at Harry's direction, started whacking at the Shade. They didn't really have any effect on the Shade other than to piss him off even more. Harry didn't expect them to do any real damage. He was just trying to distract the man. It worked too. The pieces of wood whacked at whatever part of the Shade they could get and for a moment all the man did was stand there trying to fend them off. When one piece whacked him in his unprotected face, he snatched the piece with unnatural speed and snapped it in half. That, of course, only made another piece of wood to hit him. Furious, the Shade barked a word in the ancient language that Harry didn't catch and all the wood shattered and burned to ash.

_Now what? You've only succeeded in enraging him further?_ Scáth asked, watching through Harry's eyes.

_Come now, you know me better than that,_ Harry said in a slightly teasing voice as he closely watched the Shade as he moved away from the tavern. _Besides, would you rather I have let him slaughter innocent villagers?_

_No but that doesn't mean I have to like you placing yourself in such danger. The werecat said if you challenged him then you would fail. _There was deep concern lining Scáth's voice but there was trust as well and that was the only thing that was keeping Scáth from flying into Gil'ead that moment and tearing the Shade to pieces.

_I'm not challenging him. I'm diverting his fury onto myself._ Harry said as he dropped the disillusionment charm and let out a shrill whistle, gaining the attention of every single person in the immediate area. "Looking for me?" He taunted and made face at the shocked and outraged Shade. Furious, the Shade raised his arm and sent a cackling ball of sickly yellow energy towards Harry. Not willing to test a shield against unknown magic, Harry quickly danced out of the way. The ball crashed against the side of the house, causing the structure to buckle and grown. A dead spot of rotted wood appeared where the ball had struck.

"Such bad aim," Harry admonished with a tsk and waging a finger at the outraged Shade. "You should really work on that."

Harry let out a taunting cackle as he dashed aside another ball of magic and ducked into an alleyway, heading deeper into the city. He heard the Shade yell at the guards to catch him and he grinned. With speed and agility, which not only gained him a position as Seeker but also had saved his life numerous times, Harry wove through the houses, always keeping just out of sight of the soldiers and the Shade. When he was out of sight, Harry disillusioned himself again seconds before he jumped up onto a barrel and leaped with all his strength and managed to grasp the edges of the roof. With a heave, he managed to hoist himself completely onto the roof. Below him, the soldiers dashed past before coming to a halt at the intersection and looking around in confusion.

"Where is he?" The Shade demanded as he came from a different direction with his sword drawn. The soldiers reluctantly informed him that they had lost track of Harry. The Shade growled and directed three the soldiers back the way they came, sent half of the rest in one direction and the other half in another while, he stood there and seemed to cast spells.

_I may not appreciate the circumstances but I appreciate the results._ Harry thought mostly to himself as he lay onto of the roof catching his breath.

_What do you mean? _Scáth asked in confusion, not having been able to follow Harry's line of thought.

_Vroengard,_ Harry said vaguely as he hoisted himself to his feet and began leaping across the roofs of the houses. Before Scáth could question him further Harry continued, _I was never overly fit before I ended up here and I would never have been able to do what I just did. The constant fights, struggles, and hunting trips on Vroengard assisted in toning and strengthening my body._ It was true too. He hadn't noticed much before but his muscles were much more toned and defined than before and he looked across between a runner and a weight lifter. Of course, the sparing with Brom assisted as well which is what gave him more a muscularly look but it wasn't in an overbearing way.

Harry was just leaping from one roof to the next when a flash appeared next to him. He heard a startled yelp just as he landed. He stabilized himself before turning to look behind him. He caught a glimpse of red hair and he leaned slightly over the edge of the roof and saw the Shade sprawled on the ground. Harry couldn't help but snicker and he felt Scáth do the same. Apparently, the Shade had attempted to transport himself directly to Harry's side and had completed the spell while Harry was in the air. The man had obviously not been expecting Harry to be midair when he thought to do the spell. The Shade growled in annoyance and dragged himself to his feet, swearing all the while. Grinning, Harry continued his mad dash across the various roofs.

He ran for several more minutes before he stopped next to a cold stone chimneystack. Keeping a hand on Bhuailteoir's pummel, Harry erected what few wards he knew how to cast, his kind of wards, not wards created with the ancient language. Wards were actually the one subject he hadn't done much studying in but he knew how to cast a few and he was hoping that the combination of two wands, one of which was the Elder Wand, would make them stronger. He cast one to repel any but him from the immediate area and one to shield his presence, though he was already invisible. He also mingled in a shielding charm just to be on the safe side. He was just in time too. The Shade taken to chasing Harry across the roof tops, likely following the urges of some spell, and had been gaining a good deal of ground because of his preternatural strength. As it was, just as Harry finished the wards the Shade ran head long into them. The wards flared and sent the Shade flying halfway across the city only to slam into the stone keep near the center of the city.

_You certainly have a knack for sending things flying don't you? _Scáth asked with an amused chuckle.

_Apparently, _Harry responded as he dropped the wards and left the area and the roof tops all together. He would have liked to stay in the warded area but that would've been like a mouse staying in an open cage with a cat. As it was, the rooftop would now be the focus of the Shade's attention so he couldn't stay there. With an annoyed huff, Harry set off to find some dark corner to hide in until things settled down.

–Scene Break–

To the complete chagrin of both Harry and Scáth, they were forced to spend almost an entire month in Gil'ead. The soldiers were on high alert and constantly patrolled the city, making it very difficult for Harry to properly survey the prison. It had taken him almost two weeks to get a proper idea of the shift changes and the patrols they made on the outside of the prison. He kept havening to dodge and evade search parties that constantly scoured the city for him. They only positive note was that the Shade was not personally hunting for Harry. Dragon and Rider both attributed this to the fact that the Shade had twice been humiliated by underestimating Harry's abilities and desired no more. Harry suspected that it also had something to do with the fact that Harry had heard one of the guards speaking in low tones a few nights prior about the king threatening the Shade if he did not get answers out of the elf soon. This was, actually, why Harry had moved to sneak into the prison tonight rather than wait any longer.

Disillusioned and spelled so he wouldn't make a sound, Harry crept silently through the halls of the prison peering into every cell he passed. Most were empty and the ones that weren't held ragged prisoners that looked nothing like an elf and were male besides. Finally, on the second floor of the prison, Harry beheld a cell with a cot inside. On the cot rested the very elf he was looking for. She was on her side, facing away from him, and if it weren't for the pointed ear Harry could see sticking up from her long black locks, he wouldn't have known she was an elf at all. She had a scabbard on hip but no sword.

Harry glanced around, both inside and outside the cell. Seeing no one, he whispered a quick unlocking charm and slipped inside the cell. The minute the door closed, he froze. Something was gripping him, pulling him, dragging him, urging him to leave.

_Something is wrong,_ Harry thought urgently to Scáth, who was hovering in the night sky above the city.

_Yes, I feel it too._ Scáth replied sounding just as unsettled as Harry was.

_What is it?_ Harry questioned as he tried to determine the source of this incessant pulling.

Scáth was quiet for a moment, thinking, before he replied in a grave tone. _I think it is our oath we swore to protect Eragon kicking in._

_That would mean…_ Harry said, his thoughts trailing off in despair.

_Yes,_ Scáth replied, not wanting to voice it any more than Harry did. _Quickly gather the elf and let us be off. Time is of the essence and our oath will not leave us be until we return to Eragon and Saphira._

Not bothering to argue, Harry rushed forward and made to lift the elf off the cot. Just as he was about to slip his hands beneath her slim form, Harry heard the tell tale scraping of a sword leaving its sheath. In a flurry of movement, Harry spun around, drawing Bhuailteoir as he did so and allowed his disillusionment charm to fall. It was the first time he had actually drawn the sword since he had placed his wands in the handle so he was surprised to see the sword shine more so than it usually did. He put it out of his mind though and instead, focused upon the Shade that was standing behind him, against the door with his pale sword in his hands. At this distance, Harry noted the scratch that ran from tip to hilt on the sword.

_Get down here._ Harry said in a deadly voice to Scáth.

"I had a feeling you would come for her," the Shade said in a smooth voice.

"And what, pray tell, would cause a Shade to concern himself with little old me?" Harry asked, stalling for time. He could feel Scáth diving out of the sky but he would still be at least another two minutes before he landed.

"For starters, you've managed to humiliate me, twice I might add," the Shade said with an angry scowl. "That is not something that is easily done, nor is it something I plan on ignoring."

Harry snorted and said, "Seemed easy enough to me." A crashing boom shook the room and was followed by several screams and a gigantic roar.

"You didn't come alone I see," the Shade said in a mildly surprised voice.

"Reducto!" Harry said in answer. Light flared along Bhuailteoir's length before it condensed into a ball of light and shot at the Shade at lightning fast speed. Not having expected such an assault, nor knowing what the word meant, the Shade was caught square in the chest and went crashing through the door and the wall beyond.

Harry turned and quickly lifted the elf onto his shoulder and dashed from the room. The building shook as Scáth raged on the roof, fending off the soldiers that were there. Harry managed to make his way to the third floor of the prison but was prevented from going any further by the soldiers that were fleeing inside in an attempt to escape Scáth's warpath. Scowling in annoyance, Harry dashed into a room so as to avoid the fleeing soldiers. Unfortunately, the room he had entered was the guardroom and it was filled with at least ten soldiers who were franticly grabbing at their weapons and trying to figure out what was going on.

"Damn it all to hell," Harry moaned in aggravation at his accursed luck.

In the few minutes he had while the soldiers stared dumbfounded at him, Harry gently set the elf on the ground next to the door where she wouldn't get hurt. He turned back just in time for the first soldier to come to his wits and charge him. Harry deflected the man's poor attempt at a strike, sideswiped his legs, and kicked him in the face, rendering the man unconscious. The other soldiers came out of their stupor and came at Harry all at once. The next several minutes were a blur of activity for Harry. He had never fought solo against so many people before and he blessed what gods there were for his agility and speed. Even so, Harry ended up acquiring several cuts, scrapes, and bruises. He tried to avoid outright killing the men whenever he could but he wasn't presented with many opportunities.

He yelped and there was a mighty roar from over head as a soldiers blade dug into his left hip before he manage to block and deflect the blow. He was saved the trouble of having to kill the soldier when a mighty claw suddenly broke through the ceiling and shredded the soldier into at least four different pieces. The other's instantly backed off, even as the claw retreated and tore a larger hole in the ceiling. Scáth's horned and scaly head entered into the room. He opened his maw and released a torrent of yellow and black flames. The soldiers screamed in fear and agony before they were consumed by death and fire.

_Quickly,_ Scáth said as he clamped his jaw shut. The room was on fire but Harry could tell that several of the remaining soldiers had been reduced to nothing but ash. His only solace was that they had gone relatively quick.

Harry limped over to the elf, sheathing Bhuailteoir and hoisted her onto his shoulder on his good side. He paused only briefly to grab an elegantly wrought blade and slipped it into the elf's scabbard. He had no idea if the blade was hers but it was too beautiful and too out of place among the other weapons to be anyone else's. When he had the elf secure on his good side, Harry threw an arm over Scáth's thick neck and gripped one of his neck spikes. After ensuring that Harry had a good grip, Scáth removed his head from the large hole and immediately took flight. Harry absently noted that the roof was devoid of all soldiers and was even smoldering in several places

_I was wondering how long it would be until you could breathe fire,_ Harry remarked absently as Gil'ead was quickly reduced to nothing more than a shinning speck in the distance. He felt Scáth beam with pride at his accomplishment.

Scáth flew long and fast into the night, angling south and following the pull of their oath to protect Eragon. It wasn't at such an intensity for either of them to believe that Eragon was in mortal danger but it was enough to drive them to fly southwest. Scáth flew well into the morning hours and didn't stop until the rays of morning light spread across the eastern sky. By unspoken consent, Scáth glided down on silent wings towards a blank stretch of land a number of leagues away from Gil'ead. He tired to be gentle in his landing but by virtue of being a five-month-old dragon, who was almost the size of a house, the landing was a little rough. Harry barely managed to hold on long enough for Scáth to lower his head so his feet were touching the ground. He forced his hand to release the neck spike that he had been gripping. Unfortunately, he forgot about his left hip and ended up putting weight on it. He hissed and fell to the ground in a heap, tangling with the curiously unconscious elf.

_Are you ok?_ Scáth asked, concern radiating across their bond as he loomed over the pair.

"Just," Harry hissed and bit his lip as pain spread over his body as he attempted to push the elf off him. "Just acquired a little more damage than I previously thought."

_Do you have any serious injuries? _Scáth gently used his front teeth to grip the elf's black leather shirt and pulled her off Harry.

_Only my hip as far as I can tell,_ Harry replied as he looked down and surveyed his tattered clothes and the blood that soaked it. _Can you build a fire so I can see better?_

Scáth hummed as he lifted his massive head and surveyed the landscape around them. He lumbered off to the side out of Harry's field of vision. Harry heard a giant tearing sound and then Scáth came back with a sapling in his mouth. He dropped it on the ground a few yards away. With a few swipes of his razor sharp ivory claws, he had the sapling chopped into three manageable pieces. He piled them all together and then a stream of fire, lighting the dry wood and creating a large bonfire.

"Thanks," Harry mumbled as he blinked a few times as his eyes adjusted.

As he shifted and tried to get a better look at his hip, Scáth came over and laid down behind him. Without being asked, Scáth slipped his scaly claw underneath Harry to support him. Harry sighed and allowed himself to relax against Scáth's support. The wound on his hip was close to his groin and while it was deep, it didn't appear to have punctured anything. Harry knew some anatomy but he didn't know any of the right words in the ancient language and he didn't have the skill with his wand to heal such a deep cut. However, ingenuity and intent were key pieces of working magic with the ancient language so he figured it was worth a shot.

"Waíse heill," he said, drawing on Scáth's strength as well as his own. Harry squirmed and stamped his foot as the veins, muscles, and skin writhed and knitted themselves back together. "By the gods that is the weirdest thing I have ever felt."

_Is it fully healed? _Scáth questioned as he bent his head down to sniff at Harry but smelling only blood and weariness.

Harry gently prodded the area with his fingers and was relieved to feel nothing but pressure. _Apparently. _He sighed as he shifted and looked at his myriad of other scratches and cuts. _None of these other wounds seem very to be very bad so I don't think I should bother healing them at the moment. _

_What of the älfa-kona? _Scáth asked, using the ancient language term for elf woman. _She smells of blood as well and she still has not woken, despite having been shaken enough to wake a cow._

Harry chuckled lightly at Scáth's choice of words. They weren't all that funny but he was hungry and weak and they seemed funnier than they really were. _She'll have to wait for the moment. Right now, I need to eat and regain some strength. _

_And how,_ Scáth questioned as he kneaded the ground with his other claw. _Do you plan to retrieve any of the food when the pack full of your supplies is tied to the saddle?_

"I've endured worse pain than this," Harry said as he hoisted himself up right, leaning heavily on Scáth's claw. "I think I can manage to get some food."

Scáth growled but otherwise didn't comment on the reference to Harry's past. He pressed himself flatter to the ground so Harry could better reach the pack full of supplies. Harry undid the string holding it in place and allowed it to fall heavily to the ground rather than straining himself trying to catch it. He dug in the bag for a few moments and pulled out several bits of food, mostly bread and meat, but a few vegetables as well. He laid his left hand on Bhuailteoir and conjured a pot and filled it with water. He tossed in the vegetables and meat, along with a few seasonings and then set it on the edge of the fire to cook while he munched on some bread.

_Gil'ead looks like an over turned anthill,_ Scáth remarked, his head high above Harry as he looked north.

_You can see Gil'ead from here?_ Harry asked looking up in surprise. The city was several leagues to the north and not even the uniform flatness of the plains allowed Harry to see the edges of the city.

_Only the outer most parts, even then it is just a smudge on the horizon to me,_ Scáth explained, not taking his eyes away from where he was looking. _Still, I can detect an enormous amount of activity. _

_Not surprising really,_ Harry said with a slight smirk. _After all, we did announce ourselves rather spectacularly. _

Scáth chuckled, sounding like an avalanche. _We did at that._

Harry got up from where he had sat back against Scáth's claw and tended to the stew he was making. On his way back to resume his seat, he noticed that the elf was lying in a rather undignified heap a few feet away from Scáth. Having regained some of his strength from eating the bread, Harry meandered over to the woman and straightened her out and pulled her closer to the fire and his seat. He admired her striking features for the space of a single heartbeat before he settled down and contemplated over why she had yet to wake. Silently cursing the evils of the world, Harry reached for Bhuailteoir, intent on opening it and pulling out one of his wands. He froze when his mind registered what his hand was telling it. Harry looked down to see that his holy wand was already sticking out of the sword, encased in what looked to be a metal sheath that went up to the handle.

"Odd," Harry said aloud with a frown. Scáth bent down to sniff and examine the sword, as curious and dumbfounded as Harry.

_I was not aware that swords could act of their own accord. _He said after several minutes of examining the blade.

"Me either," Harry said, still speaking out loud as a result of his surprise. He gently pried the wand from the mental sheath. "I've come across a lot of inanimate things that have been animated by magic but this is different."

Scáth was silent for a few moments while Harry tended the stew and started casting spells over the elf. _Maybe it is because you created it. Maybe because you created it and unwittingly used energy that is tied with the ancient language and the added strength of a dragon, maybe it has become intimately attuned to your wishes. _

_Well,_ Harry thought back since his mouth was busy casting diagnostic spells. _If that is the case then it is both, safer and more deadly; safer because none but me can command its full power and deadlier because neither of us know the full extent of its powers._

_Yes, but I think so long as you keep a strict control over it then you needn't worry about it leveling mountains or something of the sort, _Scáth said as he returned to examining their surroundings and the brightening sky above them. _Do you know what is wrong with her?_ He questioned after a few minutes of silence.

_Aside from numerous bruises, cuts, and what appear to be a few broken ribs that I've already repaired,_ Harry said as he wiped the sweat from his brow and conjured a bowl for his stew and began eating. _She has been poisoned. It is not any poison I am familiar with especially since I am ignorant of this land's plants and their attributes. I managed clear a good portion of the poison from her system but I cannot get rid of all of it and it will continue to build and spread unless we can get her to a proper healer. As for her coma…_ Harry paused as he devoured a few bites of his stew. _I can find no cause for it. She doesn't appear to have suffered any physical injury to the head that would result in her prolonged state of sleep. _

_Something the Shade did perhaps, _Scáth suggested as he sniffed curiously at the pot of stew.

_No,_ Harry said as he refilled the bowl and gestured for Scáth to have the rest. _I would've sensed a foreign magic working in her system. Either she is so completely exhausted and is in such a deep sleep that she can't be woken until she wakes herself or the coma is self induced and I'm not sure how that would happen._

_Did you try contacting her mind?_ Scáth asked as he dipped his tongue into the pot to taste the stew.

_No,_ Harry said again as he downed the last of his second helping. Scáth was too busy trying to scoop out the stew from the pot to form any sort coherent answer but managed to send a questioning sensation towards Harry, who chuckled and replied. _For two reasons: one, you're still shielding my mind so I can't. Two, the Shade probably tried several times to break her mind and she would likely try to strangle whatever presence attempted to breach her defenses. _

_You have a talent for cooking when you have the right equipment,_ Scáth remarked as he scraped his barbed tongue over the insides of the now empty pot. Harry blushed but didn't comment. _And you are right. She would probably attempt to strangle you mentally. _Even as he spoke, a tingling sensation ran from the base of Harry's skull to the crown of his head, like water flowing up a waterfall. It was weird but nothing Harry wasn't accustomed to from years of performing magic and having magic performed on you. When the sensation stopped, Harry could once again sense the minds of the living things around him. He carefully avoided even brushing up against the elf's mind so he did not provoke her into attacking him.

_Do you think you're up for a few more hours of travelling? _Harry asked as he stood up and banished the pot and bowl. He slipped his wand back into the metal sheath that was attached to Bhuailteoir's handle. He watched, mesmerized as the wand melded seamlessly back into the handle of the sword.

_Yes, the farther we get from Gil'ead, the happier I will be._ Scáth said as he stood up and shook his massive shoulders. _The Shade will likely be marshalling the soldiers to chase after us, not that they will catch us of course._ The last part was said with a hint of smugness. _Besides, our oaths will not let us rest properly until we have ensured that Eragon is safe._

Not bothering to reply, Harry retied his pack of supplies to the fur saddle and then proceeded to hoist the elf onto his shoulder, casting a featherweight charm in the process. She was already light to begin with but the relief of her weight would not only allow him to lift them into the saddle easier but would allow Scáth to fly farther faster and without having to stop too often. Once they were both settled and strapped into the fur saddle, Scáth scattered the remains of the fire and stamped them out with one of his large claws. Then, he spread his massive wings and took to the sky, angling south and gaining altitude with each flap of his midnight wings and following the pull of their oaths to protect Eragon.

They flew through the entire day and night, not stopping once. Harry didn't complain and ate his meals in the saddle. He had long since grown used to cramped situations or situations where he had to wait in a specific position for extended periods of time. In an attempt to extend their flight, Scáth glided from one air current to the next as much as he flapped his wings. He was a creature born of the sky and knew well how to read the skies currents, instinctually and because of the extended periods he spent in the air on Vroengard. By noon of their second day of flying, they were forced to stop so they could both rest and relieve themselves. Harry also needed to refill his water skin and tend to the elf. He had placed monitoring spells on her and he could feel the poison building again, albeit slowly. He tried to get her to eat some soup but she refused and only drank the water he would drizzle into her mouth.

After a few hours respite and a good nap on everyone's part, they once again took to the skies. Just before midnight on their third night, Harry had an idea on how to get a better idea of the elf's condition. Scáth consented that he believed it a good idea as he banked to the right to avoid a current that would force them southeast towards Urû'baen,_ not_ somewhere they wanted to go at the moment.

"Elf woman," Harry said speaking in the ancient language. He was sitting behind the elf so he could hold her and prevent her from falling so he was able to whisper straight into her ear. "If you can hear me in your deep sleep then know I am not thy enemy. You are free from the empire and can return to the waking world once more." Harry paused as a slight twitch ran through the elf's slight frame but when she remained still, he continued, still in the ancient language. "If you can hear me then forgive me for invading your privacy but I only wish to know what is wrong with you so I might help." To Harry's immense surprise, a lightning fast mental probe shot from the elf and linked with his before he could so much as blink.

_Who are you to speak these things?_ A musical female voice asked even though the elf in his arms remained still and lifeless aside from the steady breathing.

_I am a Rider free from Galbatorix's control and one who seeks to place his black heart on a spit._ Harry replied, not entirely willing to fork over his name. He had no idea if this elf was trust worthy and his name was rather out of place in this world.

_What is your name Rider?_ The elf woman pressed, though was a note of respect in her voice.

Harry shifted in the saddle and gazed over the sea of stars above while he consulted with Scáth. Finally, he said,_ Harry, my name is Harry. Yours?_

She was silent for a moment before replying. _Arya. You have a strange name Rider. How is you came to speak this language so easily?_

_Forgive me, Arya, but now is not the time for explanations. _Harry deflected, not wanting to get sidetracked. _I know you were poisoned but I know not with what, nor do I know why you have remained in this constant slumber. _

_I remain this way so as to stall the effects of the poison I received in Gil'ead. Was it you who healed my wounds and pushed back the poison's grip?_ Arya questioned with obvious curiosity.

_Yes, but I cannot remove the poison completely only delay it. Do you know where I can find a cure?_ Harry asked, ruthlessly trying to keep her on topic.

_There are only two places where it would be safe for you to take me._ Arya said after a long pause, apparently deciding that pressing Harry for questions at the moment was, indeed, not wise. _Since my people are beyond your reach at the moment, the only safe place to take me is to the Varden. I will tell you how to reach them if you do not already know but I want your word that you will not reveal their location to Galbatorix or anyone that works for him. You must also swear that you have not deceived me in some way and mean no harm to the elves, dwarves, Varden, or the race of dragons. _

Scáth snorted, emitting a plume of black smoke and a small streak of flame and said; _considering he is bound to a dragon do you not think that it is obvious he means them no harm?_ Harry could tell he wasn't really irritated, he just found the oath silly and unnecessary. Arya was stunned silent for several minutes. She clearly hadn't been expecting Scáth not only to be listening but to comment as well.

_My apologies mighty dragon,_ she said eventually. _But while it would seem obvious, past events teach us to be cautious, even towards those one would consider allies._

_Such is the nature of life_, Scáth said. _If we do not learn from our past then we do not have a future. _

_Well said,_ Harry interjected in a neutral tone, deliberately not thinking of his own past. _You have our word Arya. We have not deceived you and we mean no harm to the elves, dwarves, Varden, or dragons. _

_So be it,_ Arya said and imparted a series of images to Harry and she proceeded to give Harry instructions on how to find the Varden. _When you reach the Varden, they must give me Túnivor's Nectar. Fair winds to you both. _

_Rest well Arya_. Harry said and with that, they broke their connection. _Strange folk, elves. _Harry said to Scáth.

_Aye,_ Scáth agreed.


	5. Chapter 5: Farthen Dur

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

**A/N: **Oi vey! So very much as been going on! Sorry it has taken me so long to update but here it is! I hope you guys enjoy it. Please review and let me know what you think.

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CHAPTER FIVE: FARTHEN DÛR

When the sun reached its apex on their seventh day of flight from Gil'ead, the constriction that Scáth and Harry had constantly felt due to their oaths had finally lessoned. Their breaths came easier and the constant tension that had permeated their being had finally eased. They were on the southern edges of the plain that consumed the heart of the empire. Harry figured they were somewhere halfway between Urû'baen and a city called Dras-Leona, though neither of them could see either city.

_Where are they?_ Harry said as he scanned both the ground and the sky for Eragon and Saphira. The lightening of the bond's constriction meant they were close.

_There, on the horizon,_ Scáth said, pointing out a large dot in the sky opposite to their position.

_Saphira?_ Harry questioned just to be safe. His eyesight was nothing to that of a dragon and all he saw was a dot.

_Yes but she is still too far for me to reach her mind,_ Scáth explained. _Something is strange though. I don't see Eragon on her back and she appears to be circling back on herself, as if she's keeping an eye on something. _

_Why would Eragon remain on the ground if Brom is dead? He'd have no one to travel with and the horses could be sold at a nearby farm._ Harry said as he tried to search the ground beneath the growing black dot for any sign of Eragon. Unfortunately, they were too high and too far for him to see anything smaller than a house.

_Well we will know the details soon,_ Scáth reasoned as he caught a thermal and rose a little higher and gained more speed.

Within half an hour, Scáth was close enough to reach out to Saphira's mind. Brom had indeed told her why they had left and she explained to them what they had missed. The two dragons circled each other as they spoke, exchanging words, condolences, and other important information. For the most part, Harry stayed out of the conversation and occupied his time by watching the ground for Eragon. He could see two travelers on the main road, not paying any attention to what was happening above them. From what he understood from the conversation between Scáth and Saphira, the second traveler was a boy named Murtagh… well, a boy in appearance but likely no younger than Harry or Eragon and more than likely a year or two older.

_Where are you three headed now?_ Harry heard Scáth question the sapphire dragon.

_North to Gil'ead,_ Saphira responded electing a hiss from Scáth.

"That would be ill advised Saphira," Harry said over the winds and the beat of the two dragons' wings. "We just came from there and to return would be suicide even for you and Eragon. Why do you wish to go there?"

_To find a man named Dormnad who can lead us to the Varden._ She explained. _With Brom's death, we have no safe place left to go unless we wish to hand ourselves over to the black king and that is something I will not allow. _

_We know the path to the Varden Saphira,_ Scáth said as he twitched his tail to maintain his circular course. _Let us find a place to camp and rest and then we will start our journey to the Varden. _

Saphira was silent for a moment, obviously conversing with Eragon. _We will meet you… but you should know; Eragon does not know why you left. Brom did not see fit to tell him. He will likely be angry. _

_We understand,_ Scáth replied as he veered southeast. He flew in that direction for no more than ten minutes before he found a small copse of trees in the middle of the plains. It was large enough to be considered a small wooded area and could easily fit two dragons and three people. _Hold on_, Scáth warned was he dived into the trees. He landed quickly and heavily, surprising a heard of deer. His front two claws pinned two struggling deer to the ground while his mouth snatched up a third. He shook the one in his mouth violently and it quickly stopped struggling. Scáth dropped it to the ground and proceeded to snap the necks of the two pinned beneath his claws.

_And so the mighty hunter bags his dinner,_ Harry remarked with a smirk as Scáth laid on the ground in the glade they had landed in. He quickly dismounted and helped Arya down as gently as he could since she was still unconscious.

_As if a mere deer could escape me,_ Scáth replied as he quickly began tearing strips out of the carcass.

Harry laughed and began gathering wood for a fire while Scáth gorged himself on one of the deer he had caught. It took him a few moments but Harry finally had enough wood to create a good-sized fire for cooking and to build a makeshift suspension rig to hang a pot off so it didn't have to sit in the flames. He protected the suspension rig from the flames with magic and filled another conjured pot with water. The stew was well underway and Harry was tending the fire and Scáth had moved onto his second deer when Saphira landed in the glade. She settled down perpendicular to Scáth, who gestured at the last deer for her to have. Saphira hesitated for a few moments before gently dragging the deer over to where she lay and began eating.

A few minutes after Saphira had landed, the sound of two horses echoed through the woods. Harry looked up to see Snowfire and a grey warhorse appearing through the shadows of the trees. Eragon sat on Snowfire and he looked like he was greatly restraining himself and his temper. On the warhorse sat a dark brown haired youth who was no older than eighteen. He wore battered and travel worn clothes. A long bow was slung across his back and a hand-and-a-half sword was strapped to his hip. Harry caught a glint of a dagger sticking out from the boy's boot. They boy's strong jaw, fierce face, and clean-shaven appearance made him very handsome and attractive. What captured Harry's attention though, were his eyes. They were silver grey and reminded him a great deal of his old rival. These eyes were different from Draco's though. They held none of the blonds' anger and malice; only guarded contemplation, which quickly turned to shock when they beheld Scáth.

"What the hell happened to you?" Eragon asked drawing Harry's attention away from the attractive boy before his thoughts could deteriorate into something far less appropriate. It took Harry a moment for him to realize that Eragon was referring to the numerous scratches and cuts that still littered his body and his battered clothing.

"Ran into a little trouble in Gil'ead," Harry said as he poked the fire and resolutely refused to look anywhere but the flicking flames before him. He felt curiosity coming from Scáth but he wasn't going to talk about it at the moment.

"Why were you in Gil'ead? Why did you leave when you could've helped Brom and me?" Eragon demanded, his anger starting to show through. "You could've helped when the Ra'zac ambushed us! Brom could still be alive! Why did you leave?"

"We left because we were needed elsewhere," Harry said looking squarely at Eragon now. "While in Teirm and exploring the herbalist's shop next door I was told by a rather curious creature that Scáth and I were needed in Gil'ead to rescue her." Harry pointed at Arya, who was lying on her back next to Scáth's side. That brought Eragon's temper up short. Harry didn't know but Eragon knew about the werecat Solembum. "I'm sorry Brom is dead, truly, he was a good and kind man, but neither he nor we had any reason to believe he would die or that Scáth and I would take as long as we did." That wasn't completely true. They had sworn their oaths specifically incase Brom died but Eragon didn't need to know that.

"Who is she that would make her so important that you needed to rescue her?" The boy, Murtagh Harry realized, asked as he picketed the horses off to the side of the clearing.

Harry allowed his eyes to stare at Murtagh, evaluating and judging whether or not he was trustworthy and if his eyes lingered on the boy's attractive physique that was purely coincidental… yes nothing but coincidence. Confusion mixed with the curiosity coming from Scáth but thankfully Harry was spared of having to answer either his dragon or Murtagh when Eragon gasped, drawing everyone's attention. He was squatting next to Arya with a shocked look on his face.

"This is the woman I've been dreaming about!" He said in shock and Harry had to bite back a snort at how that sounded.

"You've been having dreams about her?" Harry asked, genuinely curious.

"Ever since the night before we left Teirm," Eragon said, still captivated by the elf, though he had yet to realize she was an elf. That didn't last long when he ran a finger over her hairline causing her hair to shift and reveal her pointed ears. "She's an elf!"

"What?" Murtagh asked even as Harry handed him a bowl of stew.

"Aye, she's an elf." Harry said as he moved stiffly away from Murtagh and began filling a second bowl. Something about the other boy was pulling at him. "But she's been poisoned and we need to get her to the Varden as soon as possible."

"But we don't know where they are," Eragon protested, an irritated tone in his voice.

"Arya, the elf, informed me and Scáth of how to reach them," Harry assured.

"Where are they then?" Eragon asked petulantly, even as he dug into the stew that Harry had given him.

Harry had to physically bite his tongue not to make a scathing remark about the boy's attitude. He was emotional and getting into an argument wouldn't help anyone. "Somewhere in a very large mountain range with mountains so large you can't see the peaks. Do either one of you have a map?"

"The mountains you described are likely the Beor Mountains," Murtagh said in his low, controlled, and slightly emotional voice as Eragon went over to Snowfire's saddle. Harry didn't outwardly react but for some reason that voice made his spine tingle. "They're the only ones in Alagaësia that would match such a description. They're to the southeast and outside the realm of the empire."

"That would make sense," Harry said as he accepted the parchment Eragon handed him with a murmured thanks. "If the mountains are as large as Arya made them seem and are out of the empire then they would be the perfect hiding place." Harry rolled out the map and studied it silently for a few moments. It laid out Alagaësia almost to a T. Leona Lake, Isenstar, Gil'ead, Urû'baen, all of them and more were marked on the map. To the north was a vast expanse of forest. The left coast was marked by The Spine and a large stretch of desert called the Hadarac filled the middle of the map between the forest, Du Weldenvarden, and the Beor's. "Well, it'll be a bit of a trek but it shouldn't take us more than two weeks, and that's if we take it easy. With a little pushing we should make it in under two."

"You're mad!" Eragon exclaimed in shock after seeing that Harry was pointing to a point in the middle of the Beors, the only point that had a large enough valley to fit with the images Arya had shown him. "That's almost the entire stretch of the empire. It would take at least a month to cross."

"On foot," Harry agreed though he was trying desperately not to look at the other boy for fear that his face would betray his thoughts. _Is he honestly that dense?_ "But we happen to have the means in which to fly there."

"I'm not about to leave Snowfire in the middle of nowhere where he could starve or get eaten," Eragon said crossing his arms over his chest and glaring at Harry, who wasn't bothered in the slightest considering he had received worse in the past.

"So we'll sell him to a good farmer or horse breeder." Harry reasoned. He was confused slightly by the stubbornness Eragon was displaying towards a horse that hadn't even been his. "I'm sure we can find someone who would take good care of him."

"I'm not leaving Snowfire behind," Eragon growled, his eyes flashing.

_He probably doesn't want to part with the horse because he was Brom's. _Scáth counseled as he licked clean his claws.

Understanding dawned on Harry as he said, "I understand Eragon but we need to get Arya to the Varden as soon as possible and I don't want to leave you and Saphira behind to fend for yourselves." He carefully worded that last part so it didn't sound like he thought Eragon couldn't take care of himself.

"I'll ride with him," Murtagh said surprising everyone else. "I've nothing better to do and Eragon's ribs still aren't fully healed. I won't go to the Varden but I'll ride with him until a certain point where it isn't necessary for me to be with him any longer."

_It's a valid plan,_ Scáth said when Harry hesitated, eyeing Murtagh warily.

_I know but can he be trusted?_ Harry argued, trying to think through his muddled thoughts and mixed feelings towards the stranger.

_I highly doubt Saphira would allow someone to travel with Eragon if he was a threat,_ Scáth pointed out as he eyed the left over pot of stew. Harry couldn't help but snicker at the look in the dragon's eye. He had just eaten two fully-grown deer and he was looking at the pot like a starved beggar who had not eaten for weeks.

"Alright," Harry said aloud, turning his gaze from the silly dragon. "But only if the three of you are ok with the plan. I'll try to come back once I've dropped Arya off but I can't guarantee anything. I don't know these people and I've never had dealings with them before so I don't know how things will play out."

"Well it's obviously fine by me," Murtagh said with a hint of a smirk which Harry ended up mirroring without even knowing it. After a few minutes of silent conversation, Saphira and Eragon gave their consent.

"Wonderful," Harry said clapping his hands. He spent the next few minutes ensuring that Eragon and Murtagh knew the way before taking off with Scáth to cover more ground.

–Scene Break–

Despite their semi-leisurely semi-rushed pace, the days quickly slipped by for Harry and Scáth as they flew southeast. Before they knew it, a week had passed and they were already on the edges of the Hadarac Desert. It was hot, more so than Harry had ever experienced before, but it was pleasant as well. It gave Harry a sense of warmth and invigoration just as it did Scáth. Oh, he was certain that if he had to walk through the desert on his own he would thoroughly despise the intense heat, but merely passing through the edges and the wind passing through his hair was enjoyable. In spite of his best efforts, the poison that was infecting Arya's system was taking its toll. She broke out in a cold sweat a few nights after they had left Eragon, Saphira, and Murtagh and occasionally would go through small seizures. They weren't major seizures where she would flail all over the place but should would shake violently enough where Harry had to hold her tightly to prevent her from falling off Scáth's back.

_You'll never get an answer unless you ask a question,_ Harry said on the ninth day of travelling while they were high over the lands and approaching a purple haze on the horizon.

_I haven't the faintest idea of what you are talking about,_ Scáth said in such a completely straight voice that Harry was actually tempted to believe him.

_You cannot hide anything from me you silly dragon,_ Harry said with a small chuckle as he adjusted his grip on Arya. _I can see the curiosity burning within your mind as if it were the sun we fly under, now what is that has you in such a state? _The question was really rather unnecessary as he already knew what was bugging Scáth but he wanted to confirm his suspicions before he said anything.

Scáth wiggled in agitation and released a small puff of grey smoke. _I do not wish to upset you._

_You could never upset me Scáth, you should know that,_ Harry said in mild surprise.

Scáth was silent for a few moments, merely gliding on the winds as he thought over how to broach the subject he wanted to talk about with Harry. While the two of them shared nearly every aspect of themselves with the other, they could still shield their thoughts from each other without closing off their bond. In such an instance, they would only end up receiving general information like their partner's state of mind or how they were feeling. It was how they retained their separate identities but not to the point of isolating themselves from each other.

_It's just,_ Scáth finally said, albeit a little hesitantly. _I could not help but notice your reaction towards Murtagh. _

_Mmmm hmmm, _Harry said, nodding as his suspicion was confirmed. _To be honest, the reaction was a little out of the norm, even for me. _

_But,_ Scáth said in confusion and blatant curiosity. _You are attracted to him? Even though his is a male? I don't understand that. _

Harry couldn't help but chuckle a little. _It does not surprise me that it confuses you. Something like homosexuality, a man loving another man, is probably not even so much as thought of in this world._

_But why?_ Scáth questioned in obvious annoyance. He didn't like not understanding something any more than Harry did. _Why would you be attracted to another man? It wouldn't be productive to the continuation of your species and would it not be… strange to be with another man?_ His curiosity had evidently taken over and again Harry couldn't help but chuckle.

_First of all, the world I came from was so populated by humans that it did not matter whether or not I contributed to the propagation of the species,_ Harry explained patiently, not bothered one bit by Scáth's questions. There wasn't any scorn or malice coming from him, just genuine curiosity. _As for the strangeness, something that feels natural would not feel strange, no?_

_Hmmm, I suppose not,_ Scáth conceded with a mental shrug. _You have not answered why you would be attracted to another man though._

Harry chuckled again; Scáth could be so persistent sometimes. _That is because there is no real answer. It is a source of heated debate among many people in my world. Some people claim that it is a person's biology that makes them this way, some claim that homosexuality is nothing but a choice, a lifestyle if you will, that a person chooses to live and that if they so choose they could live as any other man and marry a woman and have children. And still others claim it is how a person is raised effects who they will become or that homosexuality is merely a phase that the person in question will eventually grow out of. _

_And your opinion on the matter?_ Scáth asked as he glanced over at where Harry sat on his shoulders. _Being this kind of person you would be the best suited to determine which side is correct. _

_Ah, but that's the thing isn't it?_ Harry said with an air that said he had put a great deal of thought into the matter. _No one side can be correct for how can one part of something be completely true when it is but a fraction of something else. It is my opinion that they are all correct. Each theory is true in its own accord and all of them have an effect on people who claim to be gay. There are people out there who claim to be gay but are really and truly just trying to figure out who they are and when they figure out who that person is and it turns out that they are not gay then they indeed just go through a phase. Biology and a person's upbringing play huge roles in how a person will turn out, be it gay or straight. There are some people out there who choose to be gay but they are rare and usually only because circumstances have forced them to such actions when they are, at heart, straight and long for a different life than the one they lead. For a true homosexual, the only choice involved is whether or not they are willing to accept who they are and proclaim it or deny it and forever be miserable because they are suppressing and hiding part of who they are. _

There was a deep rumbling thunder and Harry vibrated as Scáth chuckled. _I see you have put much thought into this._ He teased._ Are there many gay people in your world?_

_Not as many as some people believed but it was more common than most cared to admit._ Harry said as he watched the purple haze on the horizon grow bigger. _Are those…?_

_Hmmm?_ Scáth hummed in confusion, apparently having gotten lost in something else. He looked up to see what Harry was looking at and his own surprise mingled with Harry's. _Surely they can't be _that_ large. _

_I think they are._ Harry said as he stared in amazement as the purple haze gradually shifted to form the largest mountains that either of them had ever seen. _I cannot even see the peaks._

_Not seeing the peaks isn't our biggest problem, _Scáth said in a suddenly serious voice. Harry became suddenly alert and tried to follow Scáth's line of sight towards the base of the mountains that were quickly approaching but he couldn't see anything definitive given their height; only the large forest that covered the base of monstrous mountains.

_What do you see?_ Harry asked when he could discern nothing but moving figures. In answer, Scáth thickened their bond and allowed their minds to meld. Scáth's vision slipped over Harry's, even as Harry's slipped over Scáth's. They could both see through their own eyes but they could see through each other's as well. Through Scáth, Harry saw a massive column of Urgal's marching into the dense forest. Some were the size of normal men but others were easily four times their size and probably reached close to eight feet tall. _Where are they going?_

_A force that size has only one purpose,_ Scáth said as he picked up his speed a little. _And I can think of only one reason why they would be marching into the Beor Mountains, the very place where the Varden is hiding._ Scáth stretched his wings as far as they would go and they caught a rush of wind that Harry hadn't even known was coming. They lurched forward with unexpected speed and the Beor's were now approaching at an even greater speed.

_Then the king knows and the Varden is in danger,_ Harry said as his vision became his own again. _We must hurry then. We no longer have the luxury of time and I seriously doubt the king would have set only a single column of Urgals to destroy his enemies. _

Scáth didn't bother to answer. There was no need. They both knew the dangers and threats that this revelation presented. An hour after they spotted the Urgals they finally reached the mountains. Instead of following the outer edge of the mountain range like Arya's memories said, Scáth delved straight into the depths of the giant peaks. The air became noticeably cooler as Scáth wove around the steep cliffs of the mountainsides. The cool air caused them to drop momentarily but they were too high up for it to matter and Scáth easily compensated. The farther into the mountains they went the more surreal things seemed to become. It was almost as if time had slowed to nothing more than a crawl. The sun was halfway towards the horizon but it didn't seem that way once they entered the mountain range. The peaks were so high that they cast the land into constant shadow. Harry frowned when he felt a strange energy spike from Scáth but he didn't comment.

_We're being watched,_ Harry said when his scalp prickled as they skirted a mountain and came into a wide vale. They came out over small lake that had a river flowing out of it towards the other side of the valley.

_Not surprising,_ Scáth said as he angled to follow the river towards their destination. _Considering my appearance, it would not surprise me if we were attacked upon arrival or even before. _

_I'm betting that their fear will stay their hands._ Harry said even as he cast a few wards around themselves to guard against projectiles and magical assaults in both the ancient language and a few of his own wards. _If they do think we are Galbatorix and Shruikan then maybe they'll stay their hands until we're at least close enough to the gates where we can offer the password. _

_Let us hope so,_ Scáth said as he lowered their altitude to glide swiftly over the tops of the trees.

As it turned out, their hopes were not that unfounded. Their flight was unhindered as they sped through the darkening valley. Over the roar of the wind, Harry heard the thundering roar that signaled that a waterfall was up ahead. It was the waterfall that marked the entrance to the Varden's safe haven. Harry could feel the moisture from the river and waterfall fill the air in his lungs. He had never seen a waterfall in person before but he had spent many hours imagining what they would be like. As a result, Harry was rather excited to see it despite the circumstances ahead of them. By the time they reached the falls and the lake they poured into, the sun was touching the horizon, though Harry couldn't see it, and it was getting more difficult to see but Harry was used to the dark, used to sensing things he couldn't see.

When Scáth landed on the edge of Lake Kóstha-mérna, Harry slowly and cautiously descended, leaving Arya on Scáth's back. He made sure to move slowly and unthreateningly so as to not provoke an attack from the two dozen or so archers Harry could sense with his mind. He could sense their paralyzing fear but it was tempered by confusion and speculation. Harry kept his hands out to the side and his palms open to reveal that they were empty and started walking along the right side of the lake towards the falls. Scáth trailed behind just as cautiously, two of his legs in the water and two on the trail and with his head held high and proud but not threatening. Within a few minutes they had reached the pounding waterfall, Harry reached down with his right hand and grabbed a fist-sized rock.

"Aí varden abr du Shur'tugalar gata vanta!" Harry chanted loudly as he banged the rock on the cliff side.

He felt shock radiate from the minds of the archers and the other people he could sense were standing just beyond the seemingly solid mountain wall. Through some of the minds, Harry saw two people whose minds were shielded from him start arguing heatedly. One was a tall bald man and the second was a short muscular man with a long braided beard and a war ax on his waist, whom Harry assumed to be a dwarf from Brom's history lessons. Even as they argued, a contingent of warriors marched into Harry's mental scope and into the giant hallway Harry could see through the minds of the others. Among the soldiers was another bald man identical to the first and a black man with a shaved head and closely trimmed beard. The arguing stopped as the black man approached and demanded for a report. This was obviously their leader or at least a commander of sorts. The men debated for a few minutes before the black man barked some orders. The soldiers rushed forward and took up positions as the mountain wall split open and slid aside. Harry kept his arms out and his hands empty.

"State your purpose here Rider," The black man demanded in a strong, confident voice from behind the lines of soldiers that pointed their weapons at Harry.

"My purpose is complex and not for unwanted ears," Harry declared loudly and clearly. "Save for that of delivering someone who desperately needs the aid of her allies."

"You have a twisted tongue Rider," The black man said in a hint of amusement. "Straighten it out."

Harry smirked a little before answering. "See for yourself," he gestured at Arya on Scáth's back. "She's been poisoned by the empire and needs Túnivor's Nectar immediately."

"And how do you suggest we 'see for ourselves' when your companion is on the back of a dragon that could slice us to ribbons the second we approach?" One of the bald twins demanded in an oily voice. Harry's scalp prickled and his right palm tingled. There was something definitely not right about those twins.

_Easy, _Harry warned when he felt a growl threaten to escape Scáth's throat. Aloud he said, "I'd be more than happy to hand her over if you'd like."

"Do so, slowly," The black man said cutting off something the other twin man was about to say.

Harry nodded his head and calmly sidled over towards Scáth, who was standing half in half out of the massive doorway. He slowly undid one of the straps holding Arya's legs in place and then went to the other side and undid the other one. Arya slid off Scáth's back towards Harry and he stumbled as he caught her. Harry carefully held her limp form to his chest as he walked back to face the hundred or so soldiers and the four people who stood behind them. Several gasps came from the men arrayed in front of Harry when they saw her face and he heard the dwarf, who he couldn't see, say something about the dragon-egg courier. Harry caught a sour look on the twins face seconds before it was concealed and he narrowed his eyes.

"How did you come by this elf?" The black man questioned as he gestured for three soldiers to move forward and take Arya from Harry's arms.

"A long tale but one that should not be spoken where unfriendly ears can listen to their hearts content," Harry said laying emphasis on the concept of eavesdroppers. He also had to refrain from looking pointedly at the twins for he had a suspicion of to whom those unfriendly ears belonged.

"Ajihad, this man obviously works for the empire. We should slay them while we still have a chance." The twins whispered quietly to the black man, not realizing that Harry and Scáth both could hear them.

They both growled at the same time and Harry said, "If we worked for the empire and the black king then we would not be standing here attempting to gain your favor and we most certainly could not have uttered the passphrase that Arya gave us. Indeed, we would not be here at all if we had not proven ourselves to Arya."

"He is lying-" one of the twins started but Ajihad cut him off.

"I will hear them out," He said curtly with a raised hand. "Orik, go report to Hrothgar, he will undoubtedly want to know of what is going on as soon as possible."

Harry heard the dwarf's feet clacking down the hall as he trotted away. Ajihad gestured for the soldiers to surround Harry and Scáth and he lead the way down the massive tunnel. Harry paid little attention to the craftsmanship of the tunnel as he and Scáth walked for almost an hour and a half in the center of the group of soldiers that had surrounded them. He was too busy keeping a keen eye on the twins. He didn't trust them. Their very presence set Harry's nerves on edge and he could feel that Scáth felt the same way. Both of the twins kept their minds sealed from him which meant one of two things: they had training, or they were magic users. Harry was suspecting the latter one which would mean nothing good.

_Do you think they're the ones?_ Harry asked Scáth who was walking next to him.

_It would not surprise me,_ Scáth answered with narrowed eyes. _They seem to be counselors of some such to the bald black one. If this were so then they would be in a prime position to sell secrets to the empire._

_Then we will have a hard time explaining our story without them leaking it to the king. _

_Maybe not as difficult as you think_, Scáth said as they walked through an archway and into a vast openness of a hallowed out mountain. Harry barely noticed but he couldn't help but marvel at the enormous display of wealth and power that was a mile high mountain of marble that was dotted with shuttered lights in the center of the mountain hallow. _Even if they linger in the room where they can listen you could still erect wards to prevent them from listening in on our conversation. _

_It's worth a shot but it would more than likely just entice them and the others to become more suspicious of us._ Harry said as he quirked an eyebrow at the lack of people as they approached the marble mountain. He supposed it was due to the fright he and Scáth had given them.

They walked the rest of the way in silence. Ajihad led them through one of the massive tunnels that bisected the marble mountain, which Harry was quickly suspecting to be a city. They crossed through the center of the mountain and underneath a massive red gem that was carved in the shape of a rose. It really was quite beautiful and even Scáth marveled at it for a few moments. Within the span of twenty minutes, they were walking through a set of double cedar doors that lead to a large and spacious study.

"Everyone out!" Ajihad ordered as he moved to stand behind the desk that stood in the middle of the room that stood on intricate oval rug. Everyone started protesting, especially the twins, but Ajihad was firm and ordered them all to leave. Harry and Scáth were both surprised by his order for they both believed that the man would have kept at least a dozen or so guards for protection. As the doors closed, Harry whispered a few lines in the ancient language to guard their conversation from any and all listeners. "Please, have a seat."

"I'm surprised that you're displaying such a level of trust in us," Harry said as he gestured at the emptiness of the room.

"Ah, well," Ajihad said with a chuckle as he sat heavily in his large, throne like chair. "It helps to have advanced warning."

"Oh?" Harry asked with a raised eyebrow as he idly scratched Scáth's scaly nose, which was resting next to his right on the carpet while the rest of him was positioned behind and around Harry.

"Yes," Ajihad said as he opened a drawer of his desk and pulled out a letter. "Brom sent a letter explaining about you and another Rider named Eragon. I am assuming you are Harry? And Scáth?"

"We are," Harry said with a chuckle of his own. "I suppose we shouldn't be too surprised that Brom sent you a letter about us. If I may, what exactly did he say about us?"

"Only that his heart nearly stopped when he discovered you," Ajihad said with a small smile. "He did hint a little at how you came across Scáth's egg but feared putting too much in the letter in case it got into the wrong hands. Beyond that he only said not to threaten you, Harry, or Scáth will, and I quote, bare his teeth and likely eat whoever issued the threat."

_Well he's not wrong,_ Scáth said as he issued a deep rumbling chuckle and his upper lip lifted to reveal a toothy smile. Smoke trailed from his nostrils and he had to fight himself from emitting flames.

Harry couldn't help a grin of his own as he said, "Yes he is quite protective."

"Perhaps you would like to explain some of the missing pieces that Brom left out?" Ajihad said with a glint in his grave and intelligent eyes. "Such as where he and Eragon are. From what Brom wrote, I assumed the five of you would be travelling together."

"We were," Harry said with a heavy sigh as he rubbed his face. He spent the next several minutes explaining what had transpired over the past month and a half. How he flew to Gil'ead on the word of the werecat, how they spent a month there trying to figure away to safely break Arya out of prison, how they felt it when Brom died because of their oaths, and how stubborn Eragon had been about not leaving Snowfire behind.

"This is a sad day indeed. Brom was a good man and a strong fighter." Ajihad said his face turned down in a frown. "One thing I don't understand though is if you swore oaths in the ancient language to protect Eragon then why aren't you with him now?"

"Because of the wording of our oaths," Harry explained as he suppressed a yawn. "We swore to protect him should he need it and at the moment he doesn't need it. He is a strong fighter on his own and he has Saphira with him as well." Neither Harry nor Scáth felt it prudent to mention Murtagh since he wouldn't be actually coming to the Varden.

"I see," Ajihad said with a nod. "Well your tale has answered a good deal of my questions, though I must admit that your very presence here has shocked us all. I suppose you're tired though and judging by your battered clothing I assume you wish to bathe and recuperate from your travels."

Harry looked down at his clothing that was cut and torn in several places from his fight in Gil'ead. He _still_ had not changed and he still had several half-healed cuts. "Unfortunately, rest can wait. Right now we have a very serious situation on our hands."

"How do you mean?" Ajihad asked as Harry felt a small drain on his energy which meant someone was attempting to listen in on their conversation. They had been talking for almost an hour so Harry wasn't entirely too surprised but it was annoying.

"On our way here, earlier today in fact, Scáth and I witnessed a large force of Urgals entering the western edge of the Beor Mountains," Harry said, ignoring for the moment the attempting eavesdroppers. Only another Rider would pose a problem towards Harry's wards so he wasn't overly concerned about being over heard. "It is our belief that because of a spy or spies among the Varden that the King has been made aware of your presence here. Naturally, we have no proof that the Urgals are operating under Galbatorix's orders. However, given the circumstances and that an entire town was slaughtered by a host of some hundred Urgals without so much as a by your leave from the empire, I doubt that the Urgals, especially a force as large as the one we saw, are simply out on a hunting trip."

"That is troubling news," Ajihad said gravely and with a dark look on his already dark face. "How large would you say the force was?"

"It looked to be over two hundred strong but they were already marching into the forests lining the base of the mountains so I would not be surprised if it were larger." Harry said as he suppressed an annoyed growl. Whoever was attempting to listen in on the conversation was strong and they weren't giving up. It didn't really matter since he wasn't even tired and he hadn't even asked Scáth for assistance yet but that didn't mean it was any less aggravating. "It also wouldn't surprise us if there were even more forces that had already entered the mountains."

"This is not good," Ajihad said as he rose from his seat, Harry following. "We will start making preparations but it is late. Go and rest from your travels. Unless you wish to stay somewhere separate from Scáth, the two of you can stay in the dragonhold which is above Isidar Mithrim, the Star Sapphire that we passed on our way here. I will send someone for you some time tomorrow if we need you."

"Be careful whom you trust Ajihad," Harry warned as he stepped around his chair. "You never know where a hidden dagger lay waiting."

With that Harry gave a half bow and went to the doors with Scáth walking behind him. He couldn't hide the smirk that played across his face as he flung the doors open and the twins stumbled back in shock before they quickly concealed their expressions behind a look of contempt and derision. Harry ended his anti-listening wards and strode past the twins and the other guards with a confident stride and not speaking a word. He gave the twins a pointed look as he passed but otherwise didn't reveal anything. The two of them retraced their steps and were soon standing outside the marble city mountain. Harry climbed up onto Scáth's back and he flew them up to the mile high city. Within a few minutes Scáth landed on the giant rose gem.

_So which one do you want?_ Harry asked as he looked at the myriad of cave openings that surrounded them. He examined a few of the smaller caves that were flush with Isidar Mithrim but they were too small for Scáth to fit inside.

_That one,_ Scáth said after a few minutes. He bunched his shoulders and tensed his hind legs. He gave a massive leap and a single flap of his wings and landed on one of the highest and largest caves available.

Harry chuckled. _Figures. _The cave was reminiscent of their place on Vroengard, though without the dangers of the island. It was high, defensible, and large. Essentially, it was the perfect place for them to stay. Harry smiled slightly as he climbed the rungs after his silly dragon. It took him a few minutes because of the height of the cave but eventually he reached it. The cave was deep and looked natural because of the rough chisel marks. It was actually quite perfect. It provided a good deal of privacy yet felt open enough that they weren't feeling like they were suffocating.

_It's a shame they didn't provide any bedding,_ Scáth said as he sniffed the ledge that was carved into the side of the cave wall. It looked like it was meant to be a bed for the Rider. _I doubt that this stone would be very comfortable for you to sleep on. _

_Bah, lack of bedding can easily be fixed._ Harry said as he relieved Scáth of his saddle and dug around in the pack of supplies for a few seconds before coming out of them with a pleased smile.

Scáth chuckled when he saw that Harry was holding up a rosy red apple. _I don't think I'll ever get completely used to that._

Harry grinned as he pulled the Elder Wand from Bhuailteoir's handle. With a few flicks of the wand, he had the apple sliced into eight pieces that floated in the air next to him. He took one of the slices, tossed it to the ground, and transfigured it into a nice thick mattress. It was average size but after another flick of his wand, it grew to four times the size of any normal mattress. Harry repeated the process and made a mattress for the alcove. He took a third and plopped it into his mouth while he transfigured a fourth into a large, copper, Elizabethan style bathtub and a fifth slice became a standalone mirror. With a flick of his wand, the tub filled with water and heated until steam began rolling off the top. Harry tossed another slice into his mouth and returned the wand to its place in Bhuailteoir.

_Now neither of us has to worry about sleeping on the hard ground,_ Harry said with his mouth full of apple as he began to disrobe.

_And how do you plan on explaining all this when someone comes up here to provide us with bedding?_ Scáth asked in an amused voice even as he sniffed at the bed and climbed onto it and laid down after circling a few times.

Harry made a noncommittal sound as he slipped out of his trousers and tossed them with his shirt for him to repair later. He stood in front of the mirror and examined his various half-healed cuts. He rubbed his left hip where one of the soldier's blades had dug into his flesh. It was a little sore but he doubted that there would be any lasting damage. With a few whispered words, Harry passed his glowing hand over all the different cuts, healing them completely, and then lowered himself into the nice hot bath. Once he was lowered fully into the bath and submerged up to his shoulders, Harry felt his muscles slowly begin to loosen after five and a half months of constant tension and stress. He lowered himself even further, submerging his head into the warm water for a few minutes before resurfacing.

_Too long_, Harry thought, mostly to himself since Scáth had already drifted off into a light doze. He looked down as he lifted the chain around his neck off his chest so he could see it better. It was a simple silver chain but if one were to focus enough, they could feel the faint pulse of magic running through it and the simple diamond charm that hung off it. No one but Harry could see the necklace as he had charmed it that way. Not even Scáth knew about it. Harry sighed as he gazed into the diamond and the small spec that resided in the center. Grief and pain swelled up and his chest clenched painfully but Harry kept it from seeping across his bond with Scáth. With another heavy sigh, he let the charm fall back to his chest and he allowed his head to relax against the back of the tub and enjoyed his bath… even as a single tear traced its way down his cheek.


	6. Chapter 6: The Macabre of War

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. You all know where the characters came from so don't pretend they're mine ;)**

**A/N: **Holy F #$! It has been sooooooooooooooo long since I've posted. My apologies to everyone. I've been very busy, not to mention exhausted from work and have had little time to write. I want everyone to know that I am still working on the next chapters to **The Heir** and **Revenge**. While Revenge is going slower than the Heir I am still working through it. Sadly I don't know when I'll have either posted yet so for now I leave you with this tantalizing bit of story.

**A/N2: **Ok so two things. One, someone asked me a while back how to pronounce the name for Harry's sword Bhuailteoir… I must confess to truly not knowing. I don't speak Irish and merely used a translation app on my phone to translate Striker into Irish. I have no idea if it is an accurate translation or how to pronounce it so I apologize. And two! In a review for the last chapter someone called into question Harry's age. By the end of chapter one he is sixteen (I double checked). Harry ran from Hogwarts after his fifth year, after Sirius died at the fiasco at the Ministry. Again I double checked this in the chapter myself, if you doubt I have no qualms about you double checking me. When it comes to my writing I love to know when I've made an error so I can fix it (if I get the time :/)

Ok everyone! Enjoy the story and let me know what you think! :-)

* * *

CHAPTER SIX: THE MACABRE OF WAR

Harry growled in his sleep and burrowed deeper into the warmth that surrounded him. He felt something hard and warm pressed against his side but that wasn't the problem. Even in his half sleep state Harry knew what that hardness was and it brought him comfort rather than annoyance. No, what was bugging him was that something kept nagging him at the back of his mind. He had been in the marble city, Tronjheim he had learned, for a full week now. He had taken the first few days for himself, doing nothing more than exploring the magnificent city and recovering from months of living in the wilds. Four days after his arrival, Ajihad had summoned him and requested his assistance with preparing the city mountain for an assault. The preceding two days had been spent assisting in battle plans and helping to shape the potential battlefield to their advantage.

Harry jerked with a gasp and came fully awake as the nagging sensation gave a particularly painful jolt to his mind. Scáth seemed to feel it too for he lifted his wing off them and shook his head. They both looked around wildly for danger, still groggy. The sensation pierced their minds again and they both suddenly knew what was wrong. Harry flung off the thick mattress he and Scáth had been lying on and snatched his shirt and Bhuailteoir and went over to the mirror. He uttered the words for scrying that Brom had taught him as he slipped his shirt over his head and belted Bhuailteoir around his waist. The mirror darkened for a few seconds before light blossomed across its surface. He saw Murtagh and Eragon running full out on Snowfire and Murtagh's grey warhorse that he had never bothered to learn the name of. They appeared to be weaving around what Harry assumed to be trees but since the entire scene was white, he wasn't sure. With a deep frown, Harry adjusted the spell and scryed Saphira and saw her flying above the forest in the valley outside Farthen Dûr and appeared to be dropping boulders over the forest even as she moved closer to Lake Kóstha-mérna.

_They must've caught the attention of Urgals or something,_ Harry growled as he released the spell and swung onto Scáth's back and clung to his neck as the mighty dragon flung himself out into the dragonhold and snapped his wings open, startling a young man that was crossing the Star Sapphire towards their cave.

_We should have expected them to after we saw that column of Urgals marching into the mountains. _Scáth said in a reprimanding tone that was directed at them both.

In a matter of moments, they were outside Tronjheim and racing towards Farthen Dûr's western tunnel. Within five minutes, the two landed outside the gate. Harry quickly dismounted and dashed through the enormous black doors that the dwarf guards had opened upon seeing their approach. He didn't bother saying anything to them as he dashed past with Scáth walking swiftly in long strides of his powerful legs behind him. The two of them raced down the tunnel nonstop for a solid forty minutes before the end was in sight.

"Open the gates!" Harry shouted to the guards who manned the mechanisms that would open the massive stone doors. Harry had yet to gain the trust of everyone in the Varden and even fewer of the dwarves that resided in the city mountain but they weren't stupid enough to disregard his order when it was blatantly obvious that something was wrong.

The stone doors, that appeared to be the mountainside from the outside, gave a loud bang that echoed throughout the hall and began to slide out of sight. They were just in time too. When the doors opened completely, Eragon and Murtagh came barreling out of the forest and Saphira dove out of the sky. Harry called out to them and gestured them to move inside quickly. Saphira landed on the shore in front of the doors and waited next to Scáth and Harry as Murtagh and Eragon started making their way around the lake's edge. As they reached halfway between the forest and the waterfall, Urgals started pouring out of the forest. Some started along either edge while some stood on the lakeside and readied bows. Saphira was about to leap into the air and attack but Scáth held her back.

"Adurna!" Harry snapped as he thrust out his right hand and bent the magic to his will.

The water exploded into movement. It rose up on either side of the lake and created a wall of water in the Urgals' path and froze, effectively halting their progress. With a flick of his wrist, frozen arrows shot from the depths of the lake and peppered the Urgal archers as well as the forces that were stalled on either side of the lake. Regular arrows joined the fray as the Varden's archers came out of their stupor and began attacking the Urgals. Eragon and Murtagh managed to make it the rest of the way unmolested and they all retreated into the safety of Farthen Dûr. Harry released the magic as the doors closed and the water returned to its natural state while Harry leaned up against Scáth's leg panting. Manipulating the elements in such a manner was very strenuous work but thankfully within Harry's limits, though it greatly tired him out, much more than other types of magic would have.

"What happened?" Harry questioned once he had caught his breath and the others had dismounted.

"The Urgals spotted us when we reached the edge of the Beors," Murtagh sounded exhausted, frustrated, irritated, annoyed, and afraid all at the same time and Harry had to wonder why. "At first we didn't think they noticed us but three days later we realized they were following us. I'm sure you can guess the rest." And he could, even if it wasn't what he was thinking about at present. Harry was wondering what had Murtagh in such a state. The exhaustion he understood and even the frustration but the fear was confusing since he was no longer in any danger.

"Well come on," Harry said making a gesture with his arm for them to follow. "There's a lot going on but Ajihad will no doubt want to meet with you."

"Is Ajihad the leader of the Varden?" Eragon asked as they started walking down the massive hall. Harry noted a distinct tension in Murtagh's movements and he couldn't help but wonder why.

"Yes," Harry answered. "The two of you should know that you won't be as safe here as we previously thought."

"What? Why?" Eragon asked as he looked to Harry in surprise.

Harry sighed and ran a hand through his hair, an old nervous habit he hadn't indulged in a long time. "The Urgals you were just running from were part of a larger force, one that has been massing on the western edge of the Beor mountains. They're under orders from the Empire, or so we assume, and are preparing to launch an assault on the Varden."

"So we just marched ourselves to the gallows?" Murtagh asked in a heated voice, his grey eyes narrowed in anger.

"Not necessarily," Harry said in a calm voice. "The advanced warning Scáth and I gave the Varden has given us a great advantage. Even now they are shaping the battlefield and laying out strategies so that we might come out the victors."

Murtagh made a grunting growl sound but didn't otherwise make any comment. The five of them continued on in silence, Harry covertly observing Murtagh all the while and trying to discern the source of the man's ire. Eragon seemed undisturbed by Murtagh's anger so he obviously knew what was wrong but Harry wasn't about to ask either of them. He knew a sensitive subject when he saw one and he wasn't about to broach it and risk becoming the attention someone's anger. He had enough of that at Hogwarts.

"Argetlam!" A shout drew Harry out of his thoughts when they drew near to the massive doors that lead to the interior of Farthen Dûr. Harry looked up to see Jarsha, the boy Ajihad usually sent to retrieve Harry if he needed.

"What is it Jarsha?" Harry questioned when he saw the urgent look the other boy had on his face.

Jarsha hesitated and his eyes widened slightly when he noticed Saphira and the others. "Ajihad needs to see you in his study right away."

"We will head there immediately," Harry answered with a nod. "If you would please take my companions horses where they can eat and rest."

Jarsha immediately jumped into action and retrieved the reins from Eragon and Murtagh while Harry led them and Saphira towards Tronjheim. The area around the glowing city was a mass of activity. The some ten-mile diameter from crater wall to crater wall of Farthen Dûr was littered with campsites and bonfires. Dwarves and men alike were carving pikes from logs or working to collapse certain tunnels that went straight into Tronjheim. Others, skilled magicians, were busy casting what few spells they could to try to cut the invading Urgals down before they reached the Varden's forces. The dwarves were working to funnel the Urgal army into three sections into the area surrounding Tronjheim and erecting elaborate stone defenses that would aid in funneling, hindering, and slicing the Urgal forces. Harry couldn't help but marvel at the display of the dwarves' skill. They only had a week's worth of warning and yet the elaborate mechanisms they were erecting would have taken humans months to perfect.

Harry led the way through the city mountain towards Ajihad's study. The guards at the door stared in mild shock at the second dragon before they rushed to open the doors. Harry noticed that Murtagh hesitated briefly before following, lingering at the back of their group and clinging to the shadows. He was cleaver and barely noticeable but Harry was apt at spotting things that didn't want to be noticed.

"Ajihad, may I present Eragon and Saphira," Harry said when they had fully entered the study. He wasn't overly surprised to see Arya, Orik, and the twins in the study as well and they all looked up to stare in surprise. Even Arya gaped momentarily. Harry hadn't spent much time with the elf since she woke, both having been busy preparing for battle, but he had noticed that she wasn't as inclined to show her emotions very often.

"Fabulous!" Ajihad said with a beaming smile, the first and quickest to recover from the shock. "We weren't expecting you to reach us so soon." Ajihad paused as his gaze shifted to behind Eragon and Harry and fell on Murtagh. "And who are you?" His voice held a distinct edge that Harry couldn't quite identify and his eyes held slight recognition and deep calculation.

"Someone who does not wish to be here," Murtagh said vaguely and in a slightly defiant voice. Ajihad's eyes narrowed.

"Unless my ears deceive me, you are Murtagh," he said in little more than a whisper. Arya, Orik, and the twins shifted in surprise and while the twins' faces frowned in silent contemplation, Arya returned to her impassive poise and Orik openly surveyed the dark haired, grey-eyed youth.

"And if they don't?" Murtagh questioned a little more defiantly.

"Did you know this man was travelling with Eragon?" Ajihad asked, almost demanded, as he looked to Harry.

"We did but considering he wasn't actually going to be coming to the Varden we did not think it prudent to mention," Harry explained while hiding his discomfort at feeling as if he was missing something that everyone in the room knew but him. "The only reason he stands here now is because a host of Urgals caught sight of them and forced them all here with no chance of escape."

"You didn't think it prudent to mention that the son of Morzan was travelling with the Rider the Varden has placed so much hope in towards our safe haven?" The right twin said in a dangerous scowl. Harry quirked an eyebrow at that revelation but didn't otherwise reveal that this was news to him. Brom had told Harry of the fall and of Morzan as a result but he never mentioned that any of the Forsworn had ever had children.

"Children are not carbon copies of their parents," Harry countered belying his previous ignorance and his fingers twitching for his wand as they always did when he spoke directly to the twins. An inevitable flash of his old potions master ran across Harry's mind but he ignored it and concentrated on his present situation.

"Regardless," Ajihad interjected before things got out of hand. He did not know that Harry suspected the twins of being the spies but he could tell, as could everyone else, that he did not like them one bit. "We cannot trust him unless he were to allow us to examine his mind and search for treachery."

"What is trust but something that is earned?" Harry said before Murtagh could so much as open his mouth to refuse them access to his mind. His grey eyes turned to Harry in mild surprise. "Has he not already proven that he is not a threat simply by not turning Eragon and Saphira over to the king?"

Scáth emitted a growl when Ajihad and the twins looked to protest. Everyone in the room quieted and looked to him as he quite literally used Harry as a mouthpiece by taking control of his mouth. "We do not have time for such a petty squabble. The Urgal forces could march upon us at any moment and here we sit arguing amongst ourselves and wasting time. Give the grey-eyed boy a chance to prove himself in the oncoming battle. Either we prevail and he is proven ally or we get slaughtered in which case it will not matter whether he was on our side or not." The impenetrable logic of Scáth's statement provided no room for argument and while Ajihad seemed thoughtful, the twins looked sour, though they wisely kept their mouths shut. Arya held a slight grin on her face and Orik merely stood there, silent and contemplative as he had been throughout the entire encounter.

_You could've warned me,_ Harry grumbled as he massaged his jaw. It was a most peculiar sensation to have ones mouth and voice act of their own accord and without any of his control. He wasn't really angry with Scáth; it was just weird and unexpected.

"Very well," Ajihad said finally, after several minutes of thought. "I will have a guard escort you where you may rest, eat and recover from what I assume to be a very mad dash here. Remain ready though, as Scáth just said we could be attacked at any moment. I will send runners to you both in due time."

"So," Harry said when a guard had lead Eragon, Saphira, and Murtagh from the room. "You wished to see me?"

"Yes," Ajihad said as he gestured Harry over to his desk. "A dwarf came out from the tunnels a few hours ago. It seems that the Urgals are on the move. By our estimates they will be here in less than two days…" With that, they all began talking strategy.

–Scene Break–

Less than a day later, Harry was standing inside a tent that was stationed outside Tronjheim near one of the three places that the Urgals would be forced into the open. He was busy strapping on the armor the dwarves had given him. It comprised of a mail shirt that dropped to just above his knees, greaves, bracers, mail-backed gloves, and a mail coif and metal helm. It was a princely gift and apparently, Hrothgar, king of the dwarfs, whom Harry had yet to meet, had specifically commissioned it as a gift of thanks the day after Harry arrived in Farthen Dûr and brought the grim tidings of war, giving the dwarves and Varden ample time to mount a solid defense. Orik had also presented Harry with Dragon armor as well but Scáth refused to wear it under two pretenses. The first being that Scáth would be too visible while wearing it for him to complete his appointed tasks effectively during the battle. The second was that he believed Saphira, the last known female dragon, should wear it in order to ensure her and their race's survival. Because of this, Harry spent over an hour casting several spells over Scáth to protect him from anything and everything that might possibly be thrown at him in the heat of battle, specifically arrows and spells.

"Ahem," the sound of someone clearing their throat caused Harry to turn around just as he was strapping on a metal bracer. Harry looked up to see Murtagh standing at the entrance to the tent. A helm capped his head and a shield was strapped to his left arm while his hand-and-a-half sword strapped to his waist.

"Hey," Harry greeted as he finished tightening the bracer and picked up his own shield. "What're you doing here?"

"Few reasons," Murtagh said with a half shrug. "First of which being that Ajihad assigned me to the same battalion as you. The other being a question."

Harry raised an eyebrow and said, "Oh? And what question is that?"

"Why did you defend me earlier in Ajihad's study?" Murtagh questioned bluntly. "You don't even know me and we've barely said more than a few words to each other."

"You are not the only one who has had your father's legacy forced upon your shoulders," Harry said with a sigh as he recalled the numerous times people told him that he looked like his father. A slight smirk splayed across his face at the thought of what those people would say if they saw him now, looking more elf than human. "You should be judged by your own actions, not your father's. So far your actions dictate that you are not your father." Harry craftily omitted the other reason that had made him unconsciously leap to the other boy's defense. It was true that the reasons he gave were at the forefront of his mind during the argument in the study but upon later reflection Harry had discovered another reason why he acted the way he did.

Murtagh seemed to sense that there was something else but didn't say anything about it. Instead, he opted for, "Thank you. You're the first person to know my background and not judge me by it."

"I don't know your background," Harry corrected as he gestured for Murtagh to lead the way out of the tent. "I know a piece of it and only what I have seen since we met within the empire."

"True enough," Murtagh conceded with a small grin.

The two of them walked in companionable silence towards Jörmundur and his battalion of soldiers. It was the same one that Eragon and Saphira were stationed. Since Scáth would be providing aerial support for all three battalions, Harry would be more useful on the ground. The two of them greeted Orik, Saphira, and Eragon before settling down to wait. Scáth settled down in front of Saphira, who was already fully garbed in the dragon armor and looking fiercer than she already was. Harry sensed the two were having a conversation but didn't intrude. The two of them were still getting to know each other. Harry didn't sense any adoration on either dragon's part but from the feelings he got from Scáth, he sensed that both would do what was necessary to ensure the survival of their race if it became prudent.

A few hours later, Harry and Scáth stiffened simultaneously and turned their gazes to the tunnel opening they were stationed near. Scáth rose and took flight while Harry stood and drew Bhuailteoir.

"They're here," Harry said seconds before a scout ran out of the tunnel and ran to Jörmundur who signaled the troops to ready themselves for battle. Orik, Eragon, and Murtagh looked at in surprise and even Arya, who was standing a few yards away, looked to him in blank faced curiosity. None of them knew that Harry kept a constant watch over the minds around him.

A few more minutes dragged by before the soldiers could hear the grunting and snarling howls of the Urgals as they approached the mouth of the tunnel. Cauldrons of pitch were tipped over into the tunnels throat and set ablaze. The Urgals' howls of war became the cries of pain as the foul liquid performed its task. The other Urgals quickly tamped down the fire though and they soon surged out into open ground under Farthen Dûr. To Harry it was like someone had struck oil. The Urgals flooded the grounds, even as flashes of light that signaled a magical trap struck them down. The Varden's archers released their arrows from their places behind the dwarven defenses. Several Urgals fell to the cloud of arrows but on the whole, the arrows didn't even make a dent in the massive forces.

Harry stood in the middle of the Varden's forces behind the line of spearmen. He held no love of war. Truthfully, he despised it but the past seven or so months of his life had hardened him considerably. He would no longer stand idly by while others risked their lives. Harry smiled grimly as Scáth, invisible to even his eyes, came swooping out of the blackness of Farthen Dûr's cavernous and open ceiling. Just as the Urgal forces began moving forward and prepared to release their own arrows, Scáth unleashed a writhing pillar of flames over them, incinerating the Urgal archers and several others. Before they even realized what had happened, Scáth ended his fiery assault and vanished once more into the inky shadows of the mountainous cavern and moved on to repeat the process elsewhere.

The Urgals faltered briefly, confused by the sudden and unexpected assault, but they quickly reorganized and surged forward; tripping more traps as they went. The invading force had obviously not been expecting to encounter any great resistance and weren't prepared for the copious amounts of traps that the dwarves had erected. As a result, their progress was greatly slowed across all three battlefields. This slowness allowed the Varden's archers to fire more arrows into their midst, slowing the hordes even more.

With such a massive force though, it was inevitable that the two armies meet. The front lines of both forces collided heavily in a resounding clash of metal, war cries, and screams of pain. Into this fray, Harry marched with the other soldiers and began his merciless hacking of the Urgal ranks. Nothing stood before him and lived. Not even the massive Kulls that stood at seven feet or taller could stand before Harry and Bhuailteoir's deadly blade. He used magic infrequently but to an immense advantage. If he saw that there were no friendly soldiers behind his current target then he would send a cutting curse from his sword in a great sweeping arch, slaying up to ten Urgals at once and injuring or incapacitating a good number more. There was always more though, always more. The Urgal army seemed endless despite the bodies the Varden was stacking up. Scáth bounced from one field to the next, burning and tearing into the hordes of Urgals but still they continued to flood the cavern.

After several endless hours of fighting Harry was coated in grime, gore, and blood from the hundreds of Urgals he had laid low. He was extremely grateful for the armor he had been given for it had spared him man an injury as the hours wore on and his limbs began to grow heavy. Harry had just slain several Urgals at once and earned himself a quick reprieve in which to catch his breath. As he stood there catching his breath, Harry noted a shift in the constant thrum of battle. Several of the Urgals' minds had become anxious, as if they could sense something coming, something that would tip the scales. Before he could contemplate this further, Harry noticed Arya climbing up onto Saphira's back behind Eragon. An Urgal smashed its hammer on Saphira's breastplate even as she took to the air.

_Where are you going?_ Harry asked when he contacted Arya's mind and resumed his bloody warpath.

_Eragon says that the twins of heard noises beneath Tronjheim, _Arya's musical mental voice responded after a moment of silence. _We are going to investigate. _

_Be careful,_ Harry warned as he split an Urgal in half diagonally. _Something is not right. The Urgals have become eager and anxious. Separating the two of you from the main forces may very well prove to be a trap._

Arya acknowledged his warning and they severed their mental connection as she was swept towards the city mountain. Harry continued his assault, covering his armor in fresh blood. More minutes slipped by and in each one another Urgal fell to Bhuailteoir's vicious bite. Looking up from his recent victim, Harry saw that he was being charged by a Kull with its hammer raised to strike. He deflected the blow with his shield and dug Bhuailteoir into the creature's side. As it fell the Kull gripped Harry's shield, stretching his arm out and leaving it and him exposed to the second Urgal that Harry hadn't seen because of its smaller size. Harry managed to thrust Bhuailteoir into the things chest but he wasn't quick enough to avoid its descending ax.

Harry howled in pain as his left arm was severed a few inches below his shoulder. Above him, Scáth felt his pain and let out an earth-shattering roar of rage and agony. Magic surged through Harry's system as he fell to his knees continued to scream. The air became charged and the hair on the back of Harry's neck stood on end. Bhuailteoir, which was still buried in the now dead Urgal that was kneeling before him, began to glow ominously. In a sudden blinding flash, lightning spread in many fingered arcs and in many directions from Bhuailteoir's tip. It targeted every Urgal within a three hundred foot radius from Harry and they all quickly fell dead with holes in their chests where their hearts ought to have been. Scáth landed as the bolt died and Bhuailteoir slipped from Harry's agonized grasp. The surrounding soldiers of the Varden all gaped at Harry in astonishment in the reprieve that followed his shocking display. Seconds later an enormous shattering sound echoed throughout Farthen Dûr. Mere moments afterwards a shriek followed and then three black masses of energy fled through Tronjheim's marble walls. Every warrior, Urgal, human, and dwarf, watched the display until the energy disappeared and the Urgals suddenly started fighting among themselves.

Harry was ignorant of all of this. He was too busy rocking on his knees fighting the pain that permeated his body and clutching the stump that was now his left arm. He had experienced pain before, enormous pain, unimaginable pain, both physical and emotional. The severing of his arm was different from any pain he had ever experienced before but it was not as all encompassing as some of the pain Harry had experienced before so he was able to rise above it and think. Before he even realized what to do, he started chanting, reciting each line twice before uttering a different one. Distantly Harry felt Scáth standing over him and growling at anyone who dared to come too close but Harry was too focused on what he was doing to give it much thought.

Slowly the bleeding from both the severed arm and Harry's stump ceased. His frantic chanting altered slightly. Instead of merely attempting to stem the flow of blood, he was now casting several spells to keep his wound from releasing any more blood as well as over a hundred preservation charms on his severed limb to keep it from decaying. Eventually his mouth ceased its endless chants and he simply kneeled there rocking and in pain.

_Little one_, Scáth's soft and gentle voice pierced the red haze of pain that encompassed Harry's mind.

_I'm…_ Harry tried to speak through the pain but failed in his first attempt. _I'm h-here._

_Do you need a healer?_ Scáth asked uncertainly. He had heard and felt Harry casting spells in a language that he didn't know so he wasn't certain whether or not Harry needed one.

_N-n-no_, Harry said through the pain as he tried to realign his awareness to his surroundings. The only thing his eyes seemed to comprehend was pain and they weren't registering anything around him. _I can t-t-tend to it m-myself. I just n-n-need privacy; preferably our cave._

_Can you walk?_ Scáth questioned, not having any doubts at all about Harry's ability to tend to his arm.

_We'll see,_ Harry said as he managed to wrestle the pain into the back of his mind. His vision slowly came back into focus and he saw the Varden's forces routing what was left of the Urgals back into the tunnels and away from Tronjheim. There were a few soldiers standing around him and Scáth for protection but it wasn't really needed since the Urgals were preoccupied with retreating. Pain flared from Harry's arm but he shoved it back, focusing on trying to get his legs under him. He managed to get one planted firmly on the ground but the effort left him panting and weak.

"Harry!" The shout caused Harry to look up. He saw Murtagh, who coincidentally happened to be part of the few soldiers guarding him, running towards him. "How are you still conscious?" Murtagh hissed when he saw that Harry was missing his arm. Harry was surprised by the genuine concern he could hear in the other boy's voice.

"Please," Harry laughed with false bravado and a cynical smile. "This is nothing compared to some of the things I've felt."

"Come on," Murtagh said as he bent down to help Harry to his feet. "Let's get you to a healer so you don't bleed to death."

Harry swayed in a combination of pain and blood loss but it quickly passed. "No healer," he gasped out. "Just get me to the dragonhold and don't forget my arm and sword."

Murtagh stared at Harry for a moment, on the verge of protesting but apparently saw the iron hard determination in Harry's eyes and decided against it. He made sure Harry was stable on his feet before releasing him to fetch the severed arm and Bhuailteoir. Murtagh slipped the sword into Harry's sheath after detaching the arm from the shield. He then put Harry's good arm over his shoulders to support his weight and then started walking them towards Tronjheim at a slow and easy pace, not that they had much of a choice about that since Harry wasn't capable of moving faster than a slow walk. Scáth walked behind them, keeping a close watch over the pair and watching for any stray Urgals that might have gotten past the defending line. They didn't encounter any but it never hurt to be cautious.

It took them almost a full hour to reach Tronjheim from where they had been because of Harry's weakened state and the frequent rests he had to take lest he pass out. When they reached the outskirts of the city mountain, Scáth left to meet them in the dragonhold since Harry wasn't in any condition to fly and the only way into the hold for him was through the top. As they entered the central chamber that was under Isidar Mithrim, they came to a stop and stared in shock. The Star Sapphire had been broken. It laid in pieces all throughout the hall. Urgals lay slaughtered or burned in a rough circle and in the center of everything stood Saphira. Arya kneeled in front of her over what Harry presumed to be Eragon. His back was laid open and Arya was casting a spell to staunch the bleeding.

"What happened?" Harry questioned as he moved closer, leaning heavily on Murtagh.

Arya continued her spell casting for a few minutes before she answered. "You were right. It was a trap. Durza, the Shade you rescued me from, was here to capture the three of us. If you hadn't suspected it to be a trap he likely would have succeeded."

"Oh I doubt that," Harry said as he looked to the top of Tronjheim where Scáth was circling and waiting, unable to land in the dragonhold due to the lack of floor and not wanting to land on the shards of Isidar Mithrim. "I'm sure Saphira would've ripped his heart out eventually." Saphira rumbled with pride and embarrassment at Harry's comment.

"What happened to your arm?" Arya asked in shock when she looked up.

Harry grimaced through more pain and shifted his stump reflexively. "My abhorrent luck decided to make an appearance in the form of a cleaver Kull."

"I'm surprised you haven't bled to death already," Arya said as she came forward and started examining his wound. She had moved quicker than Harry could register but when she started casting spells, he yanked what little there was left of his arm out of her grasp.

"I've already cast spells to prevent bleeding," Harry explained to her startled expression. "I just need to get up to the hold and rest."

"As you can see, that's not going to be possible," Arya said giving Harry a strange expression. "Without the Star Sapphire the dragonhold is inaccessible. You'll have to take a room on one of the lower levels."

"My sword," Harry said making a gesture to Bhuailteoir strapped to his waist. Murtagh and Arya looked down to see the Elder Wand sticking out of Bhuailteoir's handle. They stared at in confusion and bafflement. Neither of them could comprehend how an inanimate object could have acted in such a manner without someone performing any magic.

"What is that?" Murtagh asked, never having seen such a thing before.

"It's a wand," Arya said as she gave Harry a hard glare. "Where did you get that?"

Harry tried to stifle a whine of pain but wasn't very successful. "Later please. Just put it in my hand."

"You shouldn't be performing magic in your weakened state," Arya protested, not moving to do as he asked.

Harry just rolled his eyes and concentrated as best he could. The Elder Wand went flying out of its metal sheath and into his hand, much to the surprise of Murtagh and Arya. Harry flicked his wrist and wordlessly cast the first spell he had ever heard. The giant shards of the shattered gem all twitched and started to rise back up into the air. The pieces rotated and shifted as they rose, piecing themselves back together. In the same amount of time it had taken Arya to smash Isidar Mithrim, Harry had repaired it. The Star Sapphire gave one final rotation before it slipped back into place. Harry knew there would be questions as a result of his actions but at the moment, he didn't care and he ignored the flabbergasted looks of Arya, Murtagh, and even Saphira.

"Tend to Eragon," Harry ordered weakly. "He needs your help more than I." With that, Harry slipped his arm off Murtagh's shoulders, took his severed arm and weaved his way towards Vol Turin, the staircase that wound the entire length of Tronjheim. The blood loss had made him light headed but he steadfastly refused to allow himself to faint, he had been through worse situations than this. Unfortunately, the stairs were taking far more energy than normal and he was forced to pause and take a breath after the first ten or so steps.

"Can you tend to him by yourself?" Murtagh asked gesturing to Eragon.

"Yes," Arya said as she eyed Harry with narrowed eyes.

"Good, I'll go make sure he doesn't kill himself then," Murtagh said and chased after Harry.

Harry started when someone snatched his left arm out of his grasp. His mouth was halfway through protesting before he realized that it was Murtagh. They stared at each other silently for a few moments, Murtagh daring him to protest and Harry questioning why the other man was insisting on helping him. If he were any stronger, Harry probably would have demanded that Murtagh give him back his arm and leave him alone. As it was, he was too weak to fight so he just sighed and looked away with an amused smirk. Murtagh grinned and went back to supporting Harry's weight and helping him up the stairs. Absently Harry thought that it was a very good thing that he was in too much pain to think beyond getting up the stairs and the pain. Otherwise, he would surely be blushing… among other complications.

"Thanks," Harry said when they finally reached the dragonhold some thirty minutes later.

"And how do you plan on getting way up there with only one arm?" Murtagh questioned when he saw Scáth's head sticking out from their cave. Before Harry could answer, Scáth's head retreated and his fifteen-foot long tail descended towards them. Given the height of the cave though, it still hung a good ten to fifteen feet off the ground.

"Like that," Harry said with a weak chuckle. "I think I can make it the few rungs to reach his tail."

Murtagh chuckled as he helped Harry over to the rungs and up a few. When he was out of Murtagh's reach Harry's ascent became a little more difficult. It was a great exercise in balance, speed, and contortion. By the time Harry got high enough to wrap his fingers around the spikes of Scáth's tail, he was panting, sweating, and in even more pain. Once he had a good grip, Scáth dragged his tail back into the cave, pulling Harry with him. When he was on solid ground again, Harry lay panting for a few moments. The pain in his arm was flaring and subsiding uncontrollably. It was as if it was on the world's most erratic roller coaster and it was very disorienting.

After a few minutes Harry lifted his good arm and managed to tear off the mail coif he was still wearing and then dug out his necklace and took it off. Murtagh entered the cave just as Harry pulled off his necklace, though to him it looked as if Harry was messing with some invisible string. Both he and Scáth stared curiously at the other boy since neither of them knew or could see the simple piece of jewelry.

"Dimittere mea trunco," Harry recited in Latin, which sounded like nothing but gibberish to the other two.

A quick flash of light later and there was a trunk about four feet long and a foot and a half thick laying not but a few inches from Harry's right hand. Desperation seemed to grip Harry as he struggled to his knees and fumbled with the locks and latches. It took him longer than it normally would have but Harry eventually got the trunk open. He tossed back the lid and began digging into the contents of the trunk. Murtagh and Scáth heard the rattling of several different items and even a few curses from Harry himself. The two of them looked at each other briefly before returning their attention to the frantic motions of Harry, who seemed to be leaning too far into such a shallow trunk. A triumphant shout came a few minutes later and Harry righted himself, holding two vials in his hand. One was red and the other looked to be a deep purple. Harry set the red one down before ripping the cork out of the purple one with his teeth and spitting it aside. He then proceeded to down the entire contents of the vial, leaning back and collapsing onto his back as he did so.

Relief. Sweet blessed relief flooded Harry's system as he downed the potion. All of his pain was washed away by the simple draught. His severed limb, his sore muscles, his bruises, everything was pleasantly numb now. When the vial was empty, Harry allowed it and his hand to fall limply to his side. He was thoroughly exhausted and could barely move but he needed the other potion for he was still very light headed from his blood loss. He reached for it but then realized that he had set it down far from his reach. He sighed in aggravation. That was when he realized that his mind was curiously silent. It took him a few moments to realize that the pain he had been in had probably walled off his mind but that wasn't what concerned him. What concerned him was that he couldn't feel Scáth's thoughts like he normally could since they never closed their minds to each other. He looked towards his dragon with a look of confusion and reached for his mind.

_Why did the connection close?_ He asked in a relieved voice when their minds freely connected again.

_Your pain was becoming too much for me and interfering with my own ability to function so I had to withdraw._ Scáth explained sadly, as he moved closer and laid down next to Harry. _I do not know how you could have withstood such pain without passing out. _He didn't bother questioning Harry about the trunk since he figured that it was something from his past and saw the wisdom of keeping the trunk hidden since it appeared to contain many things, several of which were books.

_Being through worse pain than this helps to make it a little easier,_ Scáth growled at the reference but otherwise made no comment. _Do you think you can hand me the other vial?_

_It would be better if you asked Murtagh. I do not wish to break it if it is something that will aid you in getting better._ Scáth answered with a gesture towards the cave entrance.

_Murtagh?_ Harry questioned as he whipped his head around towards the entrance. He immediately regretted the action as it only worsened his dizzy and lightheadedness. He slammed his eyes shut and focused his energy on keeping his heart steady. "Would you please hand me the other vial?" He asked aloud and without opening his eyes. Harry heard the soft footfalls of Murtagh moving, the pop of a cork, and then he felt the cold glass being pressed into his hands. "Thanks," Harry murmured before downing the potion. As it spread, Harry felt the lightheadedness recede along with the dizziness. He sighed and relaxed as a modicum of strength returned to his battered body.

"What did you take?" Murtagh asked curiously, as he sat down on the floor between Harry and the cave entrance.

"Pain reliever and a blood replenishing potion," Harry answered absently as he rubbed his forehead. He wanted to sit up but he was still too weak for that.

"I've never heard of such things," Murtagh said with a subtle hint of question in his voice.

Harry smirked at the ploy. "You wouldn't. Not that I'm ungrateful or anything, far from it actually, but why are you helping me?" The question was born from both curiosity and a desire to deflect Murtagh's query. He knew the other boy had seen his display of unprecedented magic but he was hoping to delay the questions for a time when he was stronger.

"Curiosity," Murtagh said with his own amused smirk. "And contrary to what most people think I actually am capable of caring about another beings welfare."

Harry chuckled weakly as he managed to lift himself into a sitting position. "Most people don't have any common sense in what little brains the gods blessed them with." Murtagh laughed at that and Harry found the sound pleasing to his ears after constant hours of relentless battle.

"How is it that you aren't bleeding from such a wound?" Murtagh asked after a few minutes of watching Harry examine his stump. The Urgal had almost managed to remove his entire arm, severing it half way between his shoulder and elbow; bisecting his bicep. Harry experimentally moved the stump around but nothing was gained from the action other than a few limited motions that caused the pain to spike despite the pain reliever.

"A few spells that are designed to stem the flow of blood," Harry explained as he turned his gaze towards his trunk. He wished that he hadn't needed it but there was no use dwelling on it.

"Do you not know enough magic to seal the wound completely?" Murtagh questioned as Harry replaced the vials into his trunk and shut the lid, locking it with a murmured spell.

"I do," Harry said as he picked up his severed arm and went over to what was supposed to be his bed and laid it down and began checking the preservation and other spells he had placed upon it. "But I do not wish to do so just yet. Do you know how the aftermath of the battle is going? I don't remember much after my arm was severed."

"The Urgals broke into disarray once Eragon defeated the Shade and the rest of the Varden are routing them back into the tunnels," Murtagh explained as he stood up and stared at Harry curiously. "Why don't you want to seal the wound on your arm? Surely it would be better for your wound to be sealed lest it get infected and kill you. Not to mention it would probably look better than having all your muscles, veins, and bones being exposed for everyone to see."

Harry gave a wheezing laugh that was filled with pain and bitter scorn. "Aesthetics," he whispered sarcastically. "I stopped concerning myself with aesthetics a long time ago. However," He continued as he started removing his gore stained armor. It wasn't easy with one hand but he managed… slowly. "It won't be much of an issue. If I handle things right I might be able to reattach the limb."

"You can do that?" Murtagh asked in shock. "I admit I don't know much about magic but I didn't think that even magic could reattach a severed limb."

"To be honest I'm not sure if it is possible." It wasn't an entirely honest statement since he knew that in his world magic could reattach a limb if the proper measures were taken, which is why he had cast all those spells on the battlefield to preserve his arm. What he didn't know was whether or not he would be capable of doing it himself. "But I can at least try and figure out a way to do so. If it turns out that I can't then I'll just seal the wound and be done with it."

"I see," Murtagh said as he took pity on Harry and undid the bracer on his right arm.

"Thanks," Harry said graciously. "You uh, might want to leave now." He added as he kept a blush off his face. He sent a slight glare at Scáth when he felt the dragon bite back an amused chuckle.

"Why?"

"Because I don't particularly want to lie down and rest while covered in sweat and Urgal blood," Harry explained with a gesture at the copper tub that was at the back of the cave.

"Uh huh," Murtagh said in understanding. "And how do I know that you won't try to do something stupid like lifting a mountain. Speaking of, how on earth did you repair that jewel out there?" He gestured at Isidar Mithrim out in the dragonhold. "One of the few things I know about magic is that it takes as much energy to do something with magic as it would doing it the mundane way. Such a feat would leave even a master weak and boneless for days afterward and yet you didn't even bat an eye."

_Had to happen eventually I guess. _Harry thought with a sigh before speaking aloud. "Answers will be given but not now." Harry started painfully removing his shirt off. "Right now I am weak, sore, and tired, not to mention injured. No doubt Arya will want answers as well so I will explain to you both later when I have regained my strength."

"Fair enough," Murtagh said, seemingly appeased. He lingered for a few more moments before turning and leaving Harry to take his bath. As soon as Harry sensed that Murtagh's mind was a few levels down from the dragonhold, Scáth's control broke and he started laughing in a coughing growl and his upper lip curled up to reveal his sharp, ivory teeth.

_And just what do you find so amusing? _Harry asked as he removed his pants, picked up his wand, and went over to the tub. He attempted to glare at the laughing dragon but failed miserably.

_You know very well what,_ Scáth said as he tried to keep flames from escaping his mouth and nostrils.

Harry shook his head as he cast a few spells to clean his skin and hair from any Urgal blood before stepping into the tub. _Pervert._

_I would hardly call myself the pervert here._ Scáth countered when his laughing had subsided slightly. _Especially with the images that flashed through your mind a few minutes ago. _

Harry flushed crimson as he lowered himself fully into the bath. The flush disappeared quickly though as his wounded arm came into contact with the warm water. It didn't hurt exactly, the pain relief potion helped to prevent that, but it throbbed in extreme discomfort. Harry groaned and his face twisted uncomfortably as his arm twitched and throbbed. Eventually, the muscles in his arm relaxed and the discomfort eased, allowing Harry to relax more fully into the water. Despite his more relaxed state, a tremor wracked Harry's form. His fingers clenched around the wand he still held. He closed his eyes and spent several minutes controlling his breathing and suppressing his stomach so he didn't regurgitate the potions he had just drunk.

_Are you ok? _Scáth asked in concern.

_Well enough I suppose,_ Harry said when he thought he had better control of his body.

_You've killed Urgals before,_ Scáth reasoned. _Why would it bother you now?_

Harry didn't answer for the longest time, gathering his thoughts. It wasn't until he was getting out of the bath that he answered. _In the past, I killed for survival, in self-defense. While at its base, this battle was no different, it felt very different. Hundreds of Urgals fell before my blade and even as they fell, I could see flashes of their lives before the battle. Monsters they may look, Scáth, but beasts they are not. _Harry dried himself with a few flicks of his wand and conjured a blanket before settling on the mattress next to Scáth, not bothering to put any clothes on. _I do not regret my actions and never will but I will never wholeheartedly embrace the convulsions of war. _

_A wise course to be sure,_ Scáth said as he curled protectively around Harry. _War is not something to enjoy but a necessary progression of life. Without the threat of conflict and violence the world becomes stagnate and clouded. That is why the Riders were necessary and it is why they fell. Death drives us all and though it is horrendous, war brings us clarity as much as it brings pain. It shows us what is important in life and what is unnecessary. _

_Wise words my friend. _Harry mumbled as he settled sleepily against Scáth, making sure not to lie on his injured arm. _Wise indeed._


	7. Chapter 7: Unwanted Visitors

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing obviously.

**A/N: **Ok! I had a little more time on my hands given the approaching holidays so I managed to squeeze out another chapter. Hope you guys enjoy it! Lemme know what you think

* * *

CHAPTER SEVEN: UNWANTED VISITORS

"Hey," came a voice that Harry recognized all too well and one that had come to bring a smile to his face.

"Hey," Harry responded as he looked up from the book he had been reading and his meal. He and Scáth were in one of the large eating halls in Tronjheim. It had been three days since the battle and the Varden and dwarves were still cleaning up the bodies and hunting Urgals that were lingering in the tunnels. Harry and Eragon had been exempt from hunting parties on account of their disabilities, Harry's arm and Eragon's back which the Shade had cursed when he sliced it open. Murtagh, who was now sitting across from Harry, had gone on a few in an attempt to continue proving to the Varden that he meant them no harm, but hadn't gone today, for reasons Harry wasn't quite sure of but suspected much.

"Enjoying your book?" Murtagh asked as he curiously looked at the book in front of Harry. Most of it was illegible to Murtagh since it had several large portions that were written in Latin, a foreign language to the land of Alagaësia.

"Very much so actually," Harry answered as he took a swallow of his mead. "It's been very helpful towards reattaching my arm."

"Really?" Murtagh said, taking much more interest in the book. Because of everything that had been going on Harry had yet to explain to either Murtagh or Arya how he had repaired the Star Sapphire and not die as a result. Neither were pressing him for answers though, the fact that he had slept almost a full day and a half to recover from his injury and was still grimacing as a result of phantom pains probably helped to keep them off his back some. He could tell they were eager for answers though. "Well," Murtagh continued after a moment. "I'm sorry to disrupt your research but Ajihad and his soldiers are returning. He wants you and Eragon to meet him. He, Arya, and others are already waiting by Tronjheim's west gate."

Harry sighed and closed his book. "Perhaps he will bring news that the Urgals have left the tunnels entirely."

"Perhaps," Murtagh said as he walked with Harry from the food hall. "Rumor has it that once things settle down Eragon and Arya will be travelling to Du Weldenvarden to the north to complete his training. Do you plan on accompanying them?"

"It would seem prudent," Harry answered with a slight smirk. Murtagh had hid it well but Harry could still hear a slight tone of nervousness in his voice. "My training may be more advanced than Eragon's but it's far from complete. Why? Worried I'll forget about you or something?" He couldn't but help tease a little.

"No," Murtagh denied convincingly. "I was merely curious."

"Mmmm," Harry said, conceding the topic for the time being. "And what of you?"

"What of me?" Murtagh asked in confusion as they neared the western gate.

"Where will you go?" Harry nodded to Arya, Eragon, Jörmundur, and Orik who were standing just outside the gates waiting for Ajihad to return. He paused briefly when a sudden image of what he recognized to be dragon eggs flashed through his mind. Confused, he brushed the image aside and continued with his conversation. "Will you leave the Varden or will you stay?"

Murtagh shifted uncomfortably for a moment before responding. "I do not particularly wish to join the Varden, never have, but I fear I no longer have a choice. The king will no doubt hear of my part in aiding his enemies and I have no wish endure torture at his hand."

"I'm sorry," Harry said, clapping his hand on the other's shoulder, his book tucked under his stump. "I know what it is like to be trapped in an impossible situation. If there is anything you need, send word to me and I will see if I can help."

Murtagh didn't comment and his face was blank but there was a strange glint in his stoic eyes. Harry smiled sadly and let the matter drop and turned his gaze towards where Ajihad was supposed to be arriving, a tunnel almost two miles from Tronjheim's western gate. Once again, an image of two dragon eggs popped in his head, one green and one red. A frown pulled on Harry's face. He looked questioningly at Scáth but he wasn't paying attention, too focused on watching for Ajihad. Harry studied the image for a few moments before brushing the image aside once again. His attention returned to his surroundings just in time to see motion at the entrance to the tunnel they were all watching. Ajihad appeared, along with ten men, ten dwarves, and the twins. Harry sneered when he saw the twins' bald heads.

_Something doesn't feel right,_ Scáth said, breaking Harry's thoughts. Harry felt it too. The air reeked with danger and it licked at his skin like an over excited puppy. Ajihad and his group were just outside of mental scope so he couldn't determine anything from them. The only minds around were friendly ones. Not hesitating in the slightest, Harry dropped his book and rushed to get on Scáth's back.

"Where're you going?" Murtagh questioned, startled by Harry's sudden movements.

"Something's wrong. We're going to help ensure they're safe passage. Coming?" Harry said in a rush. Murtagh didn't hesitate either and immediately accepted Harry's outstretched hand.

Once Murtagh was settled behind Harry, Scáth took to the air. The other's they left behind hesitated in confusion before rushing about to fallow. Ahead of them Ajihad and the soldiers had started forward but that wasn't what either Harry or Scáth were looking at. Behind the group, at the mouth of the tunnel, activity had reinstated itself. As their distance closed, Harry could sense the minds of Ajihad and his soldiers, albeit faintly, and he could also sense the minds of the creatures coming out of the tunnel; they were Urgals. They were unguarded but clouded, as if they weren't in control of themselves. Scáth let out a loud bugle that echoed in the cavernous mountain. Ajihad and his soldiers paused to look for the source in confusion just as the Urgals reached them. Two soldiers fell to the Urgals' weapons, warning the others.

As the two forces battled, Harry delved deeper into the minds of the Urgals, trying to discern the source of the confusion swimming in the Urgals' minds. He felt resistance, as if someone was trying to fight him for control. Rallying his strength and augmenting it with Scáth's insurmountable resources, Harry forced his way through the fog clouding the mind of one of the Urgals. Memories flashed through Harry's mind from the Urgal. He ignored the earlier memories and focused on the more recent ones. He watched them as they fled through the tunnels only to stop when a presence shrouded their minds. A presence Harry recognized all too clearly.

_Traitors!_ Scáth roared with his mind and mouth as he descended upon the scene. He gave a mighty sweep of his tail, knocking down the remaining Urgals, impaling a few on his spikes

"Bind them and their magic!" Harry ordered in the ancient language, directing the spell at the twins just as Scáth pounced on them and pinned them to the ground with his massive claws.

Their concentration shattered and their magic bound, the spell the twins had placed on the Urgals shattered and the few that remained alive fled back into the tunnel. Harry slid down Scáth's right with his sword drawn while Murtagh slid down the other side. The Urgals had gone and most of Ajihad's hunting party had been slain but a few remained. A few seconds later Eragon, Saphira, and Arya had arrived. Unfortunately, they were too late. While some of the soldiers had survived, Ajihad was not among them. He lay gasping for breath among a ring of dead Urgals. His armor was rent by several gashes that ran too deep for even Harry to heal. Just by looking at him, Harry could tell that bones were broken and organs damaged. He might have been able to repair some of the damage but he would only be prolonging the man's suffering. Harry turned from the dying man as Eragon knelt next to him and as he felt resistance pushing against the spell he had placed on the twins.

"What was your plan?" He growled as he approached the two pinned and struggling magicians. "Did you think the king would appreciate it when you two came groveling with empty hands and with the news of the death of only one enemy? Do you think he would reward you for such failures?"

"You know nothing!" One twin spat as he futilely tried to free himself from Harry's spell.

"The king would reward us for slaying one of his greatest enemies!" The other twin snarled only to have the air forced from his lungs as Scáth increased the pressure slightly on both of their chests, effectively ceasing their efforts to free themselves.

"Fools!" Harry snapped as he spun away before he would do something he would regret. It never ceased to frustrate him to no end. He simply could not fathom how anyone could so blindly follow anyone, especially one who had committed such vile atrocities. The illogicality of it all never failed to give him a migraine.

"What made you suspect that the twins were traitors?" Arya questioned, having heard the twins proclamations.

"They're vile, cruel, power hungry, and whisper oiled lies into the ears of any who would dare to listen." Harry answered as he sheathed his blade and gazed down at Ajihad's now still and peaceful looking body. _No one ever listens. _He lamented silently, something he had often done in years past when no one listened to his warnings. It had become such a reflexive habit that he barely noticed that he did it. "Years of watching my back for sneaky and poisonous snakes, helps one to see hidden things among the grass." He continued aloud.

"You have a very twisted tongue," Arya commented speculatively.

"I have guarded secrets that aren't for public ears," Harry retorted absently as he watched grief stricken soldiers lift Ajihad onto their shields and began a solemn march back towards Tronjheim. "If you wish for straight answers, you may seek me in the privacy of my cave in the dragon hold where unwanted ears cannot linger." It was true, Harry had warded his and Scáth's cave a day or so after they had arrived.

Arya didn't comment after that but continued to eye Harry as they made their way back to the city mountain. Harry had forced the twins into unconsciousness and they were now being dragged rather unceremoniously by other soldiers. When they reached the western gate, the soldiers paused and gently lowered Ajihad to the ground, unable to continue due to grief and exhaustion. Harry picked up his fallen book and mounted Scáth, intent on returning to their cave. As they entered the dragonhold, the same image of the two dragon eggs popped into his mind. Harry scowled. This was getting annoying. He had no clue why the image kept popping into his brain or what to do with it. Therefore, he once again brushed the image aside as he clung to Scáth's neck as the dragon slipped straight into their cave without landing on Isidar Mithrim first.

_Do you know why I would be seeing these dragon eggs?_ Harry questioned as he dismounted and went over to sit on the edge of what was supposed to be his bed but was rather just a low shelf, especially since it was the resting place for his severed arm.

_A vision maybe?_ Scáth suggested uncertainly as he settled on his thick mattress.

_Not likely,_ Harry countered._ It does not feel like a vision. Just a simple image of two dragon eggs, two eggs I know nothing about._ He opened his book to the page he needed as he spoke. Harry had actually found a usable and workable spell to use that was relatively simple to perform just before Murtagh had retrieved him from the mess hall. He set the book aside, slipped the Elder Wand from Bhuailteoir's handle, and removed his shirt.

_If it is not a vision,_ Scáth said, as Harry knelt on the cave floor with his arm a few inches off the 'bed' and his stump no more than an inch away from his severed limb. _Then I know not what it is._

When his dragon finished speaking, Harry began to recite the spell in the book before him, with the wand pointed into the gap between the stump and the arm. A silver mist began flowing from the tip of his wand. Harry's skin, muscles, tissue, veins, and bones all began squirming in a most uncomfortable way when the mist made contact with the two pieces of arm. It made him want to drop the wand and squirm until the sensations stopped. He did not though. He furrowed his brow and furiously ignored the sensations as he continued to work the spell. The magic pulled the two pieces that were once whole, closer together until they were touching. The silver mist entered the damaged sections of the stump and the arm and began melding with them. This part caused some mild pain for Harry but he, again, ignored it and continued with his task.

After what seemed like forever but was actually only fifteen minutes, the silver mist suddenly solidified into a metal band and clamped down on Harry's arm, binding the two pieces back into a cohesive and working whole. The band was simple but held various runic markings along with an image of a soaring dragon. Extending from either side of the band was maze like paths of silver. They marked the veins and muscle that were damaged during the severing and extended period of separation. The closer the markings came to the metal band, the more numerous they became, indicating more damage. The markings were not ugly though. In fact, they rather looked like a strange, tribal tattoo. However, there purpose was hardly for aesthetics.

Their job, along with the silver band, was to reconnect the arm and return it to full working order, which they did. Harry knelt there for several minutes putting his arm through a wide array of motions, testing its flexibility and strength. He was pleased to note that not only did he have a complete range of motion but that the metal band easily flexed and shifted with his muscles and skin, as if it too were no more than a tattoo. Harry was also happy with the fact that he didn't feel any pain from the reattached limb, though he was certain that he would no doubt continue to have phantom pains, a normal occurrence in such situations but inconvenient nonetheless.

"Very nice," he remarked with a happy grin as he stood up and waggled his fingers.

"Indeed," came Arya's voice and Harry turned to see her and Murtagh standing at the cave entrance. "My people know many spells and can tend to many injuries but I have never seen anything even remotely close to what you have just performed. Where did you learn such magics and how did you come across a wand when my people are the only ones known to craft such things?" Her tone was calm but firm and revealed no room for maneuvering.

"You could ask nicely you know," Harry said as he picked up his book and put it back in his trunk and returned the trunk to the diamond on the necklace he wore. "It's not like I'm threatening you or anything. However," he continued as he batted aside yet another image of the two dragon eggs. "Your ire is not that unwarranted. To answer your questions, I acquired both the knowledge and the wand from the world that I hail from." Harry smirked and Scáth snickered. Murtagh and Arya stood there with their mouths agape and looks of pure astonishment on their faces. They truly did enjoy shocking people too much.

"You came from Alalëa?" Arya whispered in shock when she had regained her voice.

"No," Harry said, not having the slightest clue what this Alalëa was, though he guessed it to be a land beyond Alagaësia's borders.

"But you just said," Arya started but Harry cut her off, though not rudely so.

"I said I hail from a different _world_ not a different _land_." He corrected gently as he sat down next to Scáth's front claw and continued to flex his repaired arm. "I know not how I came to be in Alagaësia, nor of any lands beyond its borders. My world is different from this one but we have magic wielders there as well but our magic is different from magic here. Its very structure is different and allows for greater feats to be performed, such as repairing Isidar Mithrim. Or, reattaching a limb in such a manner."

"But if you came from a different world entirely, how did you come to bond with Scáth?" Murtagh questioned in an amazed voice

Harry shrugged, not really concerned with the question since he was bonded with Scáth and nothing would change that. "As far as I know, the magic worked to include humans into the Riders bond encompasses any human walking in Alagaësia. I don't know much about the magic that worked the bond but that would seem the liable conclusion. Had I not come to this land, Scáth would've either hatched for someone else or remained forever concealed in his hidden alcove on Vroengard."

The image of the dragon eggs forced itself into the front of Harry's mind once again, a little more forcefully than it had before. Something was different this time though and Scáth felt it as well. There was a presence to the image, something behind it, manipulating it. Before it could vanish, Harry leaped onto the presence and latched onto it. The presence bucked in surprise and tried to retreat but Harry wouldn't let go. They wrestled back and forth for several minutes, neither willing to give ground. After a few minutes, the other presence stilled, though Harry doubted he had subdued it. He could feel great strength to the invading presence and he knew that it had stopped of its own volition and not from anything Harry had done.

_Who are you? _Harry questioned in the ancient language even as he continued the conversation with Arya and Murtagh. It was a little difficult to do but he managed.

_One of many who hide from the betrayer,_ the presence answered in the same language. Its voice was a deep, powerful, and male and resonated within his mind.

Harry answered a question from Arya before responding. _Speak not in riddles stranger. Powerful or not, I do not take kindly to those who attempt to manipulate my thoughts._

_Apologies land walker, _the voice said, using a title Solembum had given him when they met in Tronjheim. _We only meant to guide your thoughts, not manipulate._

_You still have not answered the question,_ Scáth pointed out while Harry carried on the verbal conversation for a few minutes. The course of conversation had gone from disbelieving questions to what kinds of advantages this would provide. Harry was in the middle of explaining the dangers this knowledge posed to him and Scáth and asking for both their silence on the matter when the voice answered.

_I am known as Umaroth, young dragon,_ the voice, Umaroth, answered. _I am the spokesperson of we who hide and wait._ Harry was about to ask Arya if she knew of anyone by that name but Umaroth's voice pounded in his head and made him wince. _Do not! We cannot be known!_

_You made yourself known to me,_ Harry protested as he resisted the urge to rub his temples. He made a show of yawning and asked aloud if there was anything else they wished of him. Harry wasn't really tired but the events of the day had been trying so, neither Arya nor Murtagh doubted his feigned weariness and they soon bid him a good night.

_Unintentionally so,_ Umaroth responded more gently. _Neither I, nor my brethren had any intention of revealing ourselves to you. _

Harry harrumphed and crossed his arms over his chest. _So what is with the image of the eggs? Why have you been showing them to me?_

_Because,_ Umaroth answered. _As the werecat said, your presence has changed much in Alagaësia._

_Answer the question Umaroth, lest I eject you from my mind._ Harry growled, ignoring the reference to Solembum. He was getting annoyed with the games the strange presence was playing.

_My apologies. Centuries of dealing with the word wise elves do have their effects._ Umaroth paused, seemingly to collect his thoughts. _During your tenure on Vroengard, where we whisperers hide, we witnessed your magical prowess. We saw how easily you could fight and hunt with magic. When we saw this, we deliberated and began to investigate the only two remaining dragon eggs in Alagaësia. It took us many long months to subtly observe the eggs and the magical protection Galbatorix has placed upon them. _

_And you wish me to march into Urû'baen, challenge the king, and rescue the eggs?_ Harry questioned incredulously.

_No,_ Umaroth said plainly. _That would be suicide._

_Then why bring this up? _Harry demanded heatedly.

Umaroth paused and patiently waited for Harry's ire to abate somewhat. _Your type of magic exists outside the realm of the ancient language. Therefore, the spells guarding the eggs would be negligent and void should you attempt to summon them with magic._

That stopped Harry's thoughts. He had never given any thought to whether or not there were other dragon eggs in Alagaësia and Brom had never mentioned anything about them and Harry had never asked. He had been too intent on keeping himself and Scáth alive rather than hunting for eggs he didn't even know existed.

_Would not summoning the eggs enrage the king and force him into leaving his throne and attacking everything in his path? _Scáth questioned after a few minutes of silence.

_During the six months we observed the eggs, Galbatorix did not visit the eggs once. _Umaroth explained. _Even now, we watch them and he has still yet to visit the eggs. We believe that it will be some time before he realizes the eggs are gone, enough for the dragons to grow and train. Of course that is if they hatch, but they should still not remain in his vile hands._

_Why do you care so much about the race of dragons?_ Harry asked curiously, as he pondered over the idea.

Umaroth was silent for several minutes before he answered. _I cannot answer that at present. _

_I see,_ Harry said, suspecting oaths sworn in the ancient language. _Very well. As long as you are certain we will have time before Galbatorix realizes they're gone._

_You will,_ Umaroth assured. _Be sure to be specific when you cast the spell to summon only the eggs._ With that, Umaroth's presence faded from Harry's mind.

_Very, very curious_, Harry commented as he stood, picking up the Elder Wand from next to him as he did so. Scáth didn't comment but Harry felt his agreement anyways.

"Let's hope this works," Harry said aloud as he took a moment to compose the phrase he would need. Then he took a deep, calming breath and said "Accio Galbatorix's dragon eggs!" focusing on the image of the two eggs as he did so.

For several long and agonizing minutes, nothing happened. Harry lowered his wand and searched the area in front of him with a keen eye, watching. After so long, they both began to wonder if it was going to work or not. Suddenly two specs appeared out of nowhere halfway across the dragonhold. They were moving at incredible speed and headed straight for Harry. They were obviously the eggs but Harry was now presented with the very real predicament of having to catch two eggs that were roughly two feet long and a foot in diameter. He didn't want to try and physically catch them due to their size and speed. Harry had great reflexes but he didn't want the eggs to drop and risk them breaking.

"Kodthr!" Harry said, panicking slightly when the eggs were only a few feet from the cave. The eggs slowed drastically before stopping a foot above Harry's outstretched hand. They were really quite beautiful, just like Scáth's egg was, only different colors. One was ruby red and the other was emerald green.

_These should help tip the scales dramatically in this war. _Scáth remarked as he gazed down at the eggs of his kin.

_Only if we can find their Riders,_ Harry corrected as he took the eggs over to the ledge that was supposed to be his bed (he never used it, preferring to sleep next to Scáth) and made a nest out of conjured blankets and pillows. _If the Riders reside within the empire then all we have done is take away the risk that the king might find more Riders to do his bidding._ Harry cast warming charms over the blankets and pillows to keep the dragons warm. He could sense the minds of the dragons within the eggs but they were lethargic, drowsy from over a century of confinement and isolation in Galbatorix's treasure horde.

_True,_ Scáth conceded as he watched Harry lay a final blanket over the eggs and then started casting illusion and glamour spells over the nest to make it look inconspicuous. Scáth even found himself having difficulty focusing on the nest. _But at least we only have to worry about him and him alone now. _

_Aye,_ Harry agreed as he finished his spell casting and returned to Scáth's side and laid down. _Let us hope their Riders are either, elves or here in the Varden and that we can find them soon._ _They would definitely tip the scales in our favor. _Scáth sighed, a rumbling sigh as he curled around his bonded and closed his eyes, even as Harry closed his. It was only late afternoon but the events of the day had them both weary.

The next morning Harry woke and stretched lazily but otherwise didn't move. The horrible ending to the previous day weighed heavily on his mind. Ajihad's death was like smoke to an anthill. Even now, Harry could sense turmoil and unrest in the minds of the Varden's members. Several, if not all of the minds Harry could sense were clamoring for Eragon, the Shadeslayer, to take up the mantle of leader, though the boy was far from capable for such a roll just yet. For once, Harry was not the center of everyone's attention despite his being a Rider, a revered being in all the lands. He certainly wasn't complaining. He didn't want the attention and he had gone to great lengths to keep people from fawning over him, namely keeping to himself, Scáth and their cave. The problem remained, however, that the Varden needed a new leader.

A great yawning, like that of a lion, drew Harry from his thoughts. He smiled as Scáth lifted his head and tried to blink the sleep from his eyes.

_Morning sleepy,_ Harry said with a small chuckle. Scáth never was much of a morning person. His chuckle turned into suppressed laughter when Scáth merely growled at him.

_Why are you so bloody cheerful?_ Scáth asked in a remarkably good British accent, a result of being bonded with Harry and Harry being the one who assisted Scáth in learning how to speak.

_I'm hardly cheerful,_ Harry said as he sat up and stretched some more. _I'm just not as tired as you are._

Scáth grumbled some more and stretched but made no real move to get up. _What is planned for today?_

_I know not,_ Harry answered as he got up and put on proper clothing. _I think the first thing we need to do is speak with Arya about the eggs and when we are leaving for Du Weldenvarden._

_Exactly what I was hoping for,_ Scáth grumbled sarcastically. _A day filled with mind numbing conversation._

Harry laughed at his partner's attitude. _For me, not for you. I do not want the eggs to be left unguarded and I'm not about to lug them around either._

_Very well,_ Scáth harrumphed as he gave one last stretch before settling back down on his mattress. Harry chuckled once again as he left the cave and made his way across Isidar Mithrim and towards Vol Turin. He absently noted that the sun was shining directly through Farthen Dûr's peak, indicating that it was noon and that Harry had slept longer than he usually did.

"Argetlam," the surprised voice of Jarsha greeted Harry when he was halfway towards Tronjheim's base.

"Hello Jarsha," Harry said with a kind smile. The boy was too easily frightened by those in power and Harry hoped to allow the boy to relax some. "Did you need me for something?"

"I was just on my way to get you actually," Jarsha explained. "The Council of Elders wishes to speak with you."

Harry gestured for him to lead the way with a silent sigh. He knew of the council only through the snippets he gained from the minds of those in the Varden. Jörmundur was actually a member of the council and had unwittingly provided Harry with insights into the other members, insights that Harry didn't particularly like. Jörmundur was actually a good and honest man but the others were almost as sneaky and power hungry as the twins were. Needless to say, Harry wasn't looking forward to dealing with them. In less than twenty minutes, Harry was walking through a set of large stone doors and into a large circular room with a sky blue dome that had constellations scattered throughout. In the center of the chamber sat the Council of Elders at a round marble table. Curiously, Eragon and Saphira were already there, both looking somewhat sour. Harry walked up to the table and stood behind one of the chairs next to Eragon.

"Welcome Harry," Jörmundur said after he dismissed Jarsha. He proceeded to introduce the other members, though Harry already knew their names. "As I'm sure you've guessed by now," he continued after the introductions. "We have gathered to discuss Ajihad's replacement."

"Indeed," Harry responded neutrally, belying the agitation he felt. He could see the mental workings of everyone before him and he didn't like what he saw. "I had been contemplating that matter myself. Did you have someone in mind?" Harry felt Saphira connect with his mind and he patiently allowed her to inform him of what was going on.

"We do but we request your silence on the matter until things have become final," Jörmundur said politely but firmly. The man was an honest character and Harry could see that he didn't approve of the other council members decision but he was one man and backed into a corner by the others. "Thank you," he said when Harry promised to keep silent. "We have chosen Nasuada to succeed her father, as is her right as his heir."

"A fine choice," Harry admitted honestly. He had only briefly interacted with the girl but Harry could tell she was wise and cunning beyond her years and she would not be the puppet that the council wanted her to be. "She would do her father proud."

The council beamed. "That was our reasoning as well." Jörmundur declared.

"There is another matter to attend to," Umérth, a tall man, spoke up. Harry already knew what was coming. "We plan on appointing Nasuada in two days time, after her father's funeral. Eragon has already agreed, but we would like you to be present as well, to support her ascension and swear fealty to the Varden so that the people may once again have the confidence that Ajihad's death stole from them."

Harry stared at the man with such cold eyes that they bespoke of death to anyone who crossed him. He stared at Umérth until the man fidgeted and looked away. Harry repeated the process with the next one in line. One by one, Harry glared death at each of the council members until they all steadfastly held their gazes on the table and shifted uncomfortably. The temperature in the room had dropped several degrees as a result of his stare and Harry could've sworn that he could see his own breath. Harry could feel Eragon's surprise next to him but he didn't look at the other boy.

"Do not presume to trifle with powers beyond your control," Harry warned in a deadly voice, so smooth and sharp that it could've sliced the stone table before them. As it was, several of the council members flinched minutely. "Scáth and I will attend the funeral and Nasuada's appointment ceremony. We will support the Varden and assist in its effort to topple the false king. Nothing more."

"It would seem–" Elessari's attempt to manipulate Harry into doing as they wanted, was cut off by the stone table cracking with a resounding snap.

"Do not cross me," Harry said in a calm and controlled voice that spoke nothing of his ire, the table was proof of that. "I am not some weapon to be manhandled and used. We will support Nasuada's ascension and will assist in dethroning Galbatorix. Nothing more."

The tone of finality in Harry's voice was irrefutable and none of the other members made any further attempts to chain him. Harry waded through the next few minutes in silence, offering only a greeting and condolences to Nasuada when she and Arya entered the room. None of the council members dared to even so much as _look_ at him and everyone ignored the cracked table in the center of the room. After Nasuada had agreed to take up the mantle and the meeting was dismissed, everyone began filing out. Eragon stayed at Nasuada's request but Harry followed Arya's lithe form out into the halls before she could disappear into the maze that was Tronjheim.

"Arya!" Harry called as he rushed to catch up. "It would be greatly appreciated if I could have a private word," he said when she had paused to let him catch up.

"Normally I would oblige," Arya said in a tense tone. "But today I have not the patience." Not waiting for a response she continued on her way.

"It is a matter of grave importance concerning the war," Harry called in the ancient language, causing her to freeze mid step. "I understand you may have other matters to attend and I will leave you to attend them but I beg that you come to the dragonhold as soon as you have an opportunity."

"What is this matter you speak of?" Arya questioned, also in the ancient language. Harry could tell that he had piqued her curiosity.

Harry shifted and looked around the deserted corridor but didn't trust his eyes. "It concerns those who ride the winds." He said cryptically as he lifted his right hand, showing his gedwëy ignasia. Arya eyed him in slight confusion, though there could be no doubt that he was speaking about the Riders.

"I will be by the dragonhold later this evening." She said before turning and walking down the hall towards wherever it was she was headed.

Harry smiled grimly and went in a different direction towards the nearest mess hall. When he finally located the place, he picked up a tray, loaded it with food, and took a seat at one of the many tables. He ate in peaceful silence for a while, contemplating the consequences of his actions with the council. He didn't fear an attack from them but they could turn out to be a very big nuisance. It was a good thing he would be leaving soon and wouldn't have to deal with it much longer. Half way through his meal, a few of the dwarves and other Varden members that Harry had managed to befriend during his stay in Tronjheim came up to his table and struck up a conversation. They talked and laughed and buried their troubles in their conversations and tankards, though none of them became overly drunk.

_Harry,_ Scáth's voice resounded in Harry's head some time after he had finished his meal and during a lull in the jokes and conversation. _You need to get up here._

_What's wrong?_ Harry questioned as he politely excused himself from his friends and left the hall. He quickly made his way up Vol Turin… or rather as quick as he could. He wasn't drunk but he was a little tipsy, which made traversing the stairs a little more treacherous than normal.

_Murtagh came to visit you,_ Scáth explained, his attention seemed divided. _One of the eggs reacted. _

_Did it hatch?_ Harry asked beginning to panic a little and his head clearing slightly. They couldn't have a newly hatched dragon roaming around, not where it would be in danger.

_Thankfully not. I have managed to convince the hatchling to remain in its egg under the pretense that it would place itself and its Rider in danger should it hatch where it is. It's restless though and Murtagh is suspicious._

_Good, good,_ Harry said as he started taking the stairs two or even three at a time. _Restless or not it shouldn't hatch here. The Varden would have a field day and Murtagh would probably be crucified._ He moved with all possible haste up the endless stairs. Thankfully, most of the residents of Tronjheim seemed to be busy elsewhere and Harry didn't run into many people. The few people he did encounter paused in surprise and didn't get a chance to say or do anything as he dashed past them and disappeared farther up the stairs. Finally, _finally_, Harry reached the top of Tronjheim and the dragonhold. He raced across Isidar Mithrim and up the rungs that led to his and Scáth's cave. He paused briefly at the top to calm his racing heart and ease his breathing before he entered the cave.

"Come on Scáth, you have to be hearing it too," Murtagh was saying as he tried to follow the restless rustling of the dragon hatchling in its egg.

"Being sneaky are we?" Harry said in a teasing voice and with a smirk on his face. The smirk widened when Murtagh jumped and spun around.

Murtagh stuttered for a few minutes and blushed with embarrassment. "I wasn't sneaking. I was curious as to what is making that sound. Your dragon wasn't any help so I just followed the noise, though why it would lead me to a blank stretch of wall is beyond me."

_At least the spells work,_ Harry remarked silently before speaking aloud. "It isn't a wall." He said as he walked over to the nest. To Murtagh it looked as if Harry had dipped his hand straight into the stone. The spells faded as Harry uncovered the eggs. Scáth and Harry both agreed that there was no point in hiding it from Murtagh since he was obviously the chosen Rider of one of the eggs.

"No," Murtagh whispered in shock as he gazed down at the marvelous gemstone like eggs. His gaze was locked on the red one, the one that was emitting the soft squeaking sounds. "How?"

"My magic is unknown in Alagaësia and therefore isn't guarded against," Harry explained in such a manner that Umaroth wouldn't need to be mentioned.

Murtagh stared in silence for a few minutes, absorbing what Harry had said. After at least ten minutes, Murtagh asked, "Why is it squeaking like that?"

"Because it has discovered its Rider," Harry answered plainly but gently. He wasn't sure how Murtagh would react to being a Rider. Considering what little Harry knew of Murtagh's history he wouldn't be surprised if the other boy reacted badly. Murtagh shook his head in denial, unable to comprehend what fate had thrown his way.

"This has to be some sort of joke," he said in sardonic disbelief.

"Don't let the sins of your father rule your life," Harry counseled softly, knowing where Murtagh's comment came from. "Don't let your father keep you from one of the most amazing experiences you will ever know." Pleasure and embarrassment flowed across his bond with Scáth, making Harry smile slightly. "Prove the world wrong. Show them that the son does not become the father."

Murtagh sent him a halfhearted glare, as if to say Harry was approaching dangerous territory. "If it's found its Rider, why hasn't it hatched?"

"Because Scáth has convinced the hatchling to wait," Harry explained calmly, ignoring the glare he had just received. "It would be far too dangerous for it to hatch here, where you both would be placed into danger."

"It would be in danger simply by bonding with me," Murtagh said with a derisive snort, even as he extended a hand to run a finger over the smooth surface of the egg.

"As long as Galbatorix remains king," Harry spoke firmly and clearly. "Everyone is in danger."

"No truer words have been spoken in Alagaësia," a sudden voice said from the cave entrance, startling the pair. The pair turned to see Arya walking towards them. "And it seems that our chances of success have increased exponentially." Even as she spoke, the green egg started squeaking and rattling, just like the red one. Harry felt Scáth immediately contact the hatchling in the green egg and impressed up it images of patience and waiting and danger. The hatchling appeared dissatisfied but complied nonetheless, not wishing harm against its potential Rider.

"Exponentially indeed," Harry agreed in mild surprise. "Four to one are good odds indeed."

_Good, yes, but we must not underestimate our opponent,_ Scáth said speaking to all of them, except Murtagh, who allowed no one into his mind. _We must leave with all haste to Du Weldenvarden to complete our training. With Harry's actions against the Council of Elders earlier, these hatchlings are in danger. Not to mention that the longer we tarry, the greater the chances become that the king will notice the eggs absence. We must be prepared. _

"Valid concerns," Arya said when she came out of her stupor at finding out that she was destined to be a Rider. "We must still attend Ajihad's funeral and Nasuada's appointment though, so offenses are not made. I will speak with Nasuada about leaving soon after so as to quickly resume training."

–Scene Break–

Harry sat on his donkey, uncomfortably so, with his pack strapped firmly to his back. They had left Farthen Dûr almost two and a half weeks ago, travelling mostly on the _Az Ragni_, the river that ran from the depths of the Beor Mountains all the way to Hedarath where it joined with Edda River before winding its way up to Eldor Lake near Du Weldenvarden. Arya had convinced Nasuada of the urgency of their departure and they had left only a few hours after her appointment as leader of the Varden. Now, they were closing in on the mysterious forest and Harry was growing more and more anxious. The elves would no doubt be leery of his and Scáth's presence, simply because Scáth was a black dragon and the last black dragon they had encountered was Shruikan. He could only hope that Arya was able to sway the elves into believing that they were the allies they were.

Scáth stood calmly and unthreateningly behind Harry as they, Murtagh, Eragon, Orik and the seven other dwarves assigned to see them safely to the forest waited and watched as Arya confidently approached the tall pines. As Arya spoke in the ancient language to the seemingly empty forest, conversing with unseen elves, Harry entertained his memories of a similar forest he had spent countless hours wandering through, a forest he had loved. When he felt tears building in his eyes, Scáth gave him a gentle nudge with his scaly snout and wrapped him in a mental hug. He smiled and patted Scáth before nudging his donkey forward to follow the others, who had already started making their way towards the trees. Under the shadows of the pines, Harry pushed back the emotions and quickly dried his eyes before anyone could think something was the matter.

When they reached the clearing for the Elven outpost, Harry sat between Scáth's two front legs and enjoyed the festivities as the elves pranced about the clearing, preparing food, singing songs, and rejoicing in the presence of not one but two dragons. They bounced back and forth between Scáth and Saphira, speaking comments, riddles, questions, and praises a like to both dragons. Harry couldn't help but smile at the embarrassment Scáth felt at receiving such attention. The dragon simply wasn't used to it. He, like Harry, was more comfortable lurking in the shadows where few noticed them and where they could enjoy some peace and quiet. Which was exactly what Harry was doing, hiding in the shadow of the attention the elves lavished on Scáth, though he did occasionally join in the conversation. Most of Harry's focus was kept on his pack that was close to his side. He kept a protective hand over it at all times, assuring him that the hidden eggs were undamaged and still there. Arya too, kept a keen eye on his pack but not as obsessively as Harry did.

After the small celebration and a solid night's rest, the group, minus the seven dwarves, began their trek through the forest. They followed the Edda River upstream, made their way across Eldor Lake and then up Gaena River toward Ardwen Lake. On their third night of travelling, when they were only a half days march from the elf city of Sílthrim, they were sitting around their campfire, awaiting the arrival of Scáth and Saphira, who were forced to wait behind before flying at night to catch up. Harry, hearing sharpened by months of living in the wilds and years of dangerous situation before, heard it first, along with the elves.

At first, Harry wasn't sure what he was hearing but the sound soon grew stronger and he easily identified it as a song sung in the ancient language. His gaze drifted from the fire towards the elf city as the song whispered in his ears, weaving a spell he had never felt or heard of before. It flooded his veins with the urge, desire, and desperation to run through the forest until he found someone to mate with and to dance among the dusky pines to his heart's content. It was a primal urge; one Harry had never felt before, even if he did consider himself more animal than human sometimes. He felt his heart rate quicken, his breathing became pants, and sweat beaded his brow. Harry knew he would look right foolish if he followed the urges of the spell song so he resisted and his hands began to quiver as a result.

"Protect mine ears from this song of spells," Harry said in the ancient language before he even realized what he was doing.

Immediately the singing ceased and the urges faded, though Harry was left shaken. He looked away from Sílthrim and saw Eragon being restrained by Arya, Orik by two of the elves they traveled with, and Murtagh by the third. After a few lines in the ancient language by the elves, the others stopped struggling and looked around in confusion. Harry did his best to keep his gaze away from Murtagh lest he do something foolish. The spell may have faded from his ears and body but it had awoken a part of him that he had unconsciously suppressed for a long, long time, long before he even came to this world. Ever since his third year when he found himself becoming attracted towards several members, male members, of students who attended Hogwarts. He had pushed that part away and did his best to ignore it, knowing that were he ever to act on it he would become ostracized and the center of everyone's attention even more so than he already had been.

As everyone settled back down, protected by Arya's spell work, Scáth came out of the shadows of the trees at the same time Saphira landed on the shoreline and walked towards them. Both dragons looked tense and anxious, likely because of the spells being weaved by the elves celebrations.

_Are you ok?_ Harry asked, concerned for the emotions that he was getting from Scáth.

_Aye,_ Scáth assured as he kneaded the ground with his claws. Harry could feel the tension in the dragon's muscles. _The spells the elves are weaving have ignited a fire in my blood that I have not felt before._

Harry nodded in understanding and sympathy. They sat in silent company for a few hours before Harry spoke up again. _How did you do that?_

_Do what?_ Scáth asked in confusion as he turned one of his black, gemlike eyes onto Harry.

_You appeared out of nowhere, through the forest instead of over the lake next to Saphira. How?_ Harry clarified as he secretly marveled at how perfect and clear those eyes were. Like black diamonds that were held up against the sun, refracting the light in endless patterns.

Scáth chuckled, drawing everyone's attention briefly before answering. _Dragons may be rare in Alagaësia right now but I am rarer still. Even when the Riders were at their height of power and the race of dragons was thick, rich, and heavily populated, I would still be rare. One thing that has always been clear to me, despite the degradation of my ancestral memories, is that I am a Shadow Dragon._ Scáth paused to shift so he could get more comfortable on the hard ground. _Shadow Dragons are rare because of two reasons, one, we are born only once every millennium or so, and two, we have more control over our access to magic than other dragons do but only when it comes to our element; the shadows. In the darkness, we are stronger and more powerful. We can bend the shadows to our will, use them to our advantage, even travel through them, but only if we know where we're going. _He paused again to amuse himself and Harry by blowing a grey smoke ring from his nostril. He demonstrated what he was talking about when the shadow of a pine rose up and began toying with the smoke ring, treating it like a hula-hoop. _Travelling through the shadows is tricky and we Shadow Dragons don't do so unless we know precisely where we're going and usually if we have already been there. If we have not already visited a place and attempt to travel there through the shadows we can easily end up in the wrong place. The only reason I was able to do so now was because I was following my bond with you._

Harry sat there staring up at the smoke ring as the shadow played with it a little longer before falling back into its natural state and the ring dissipated. _I guess that's why you're always grumpy in the morning._ He said finally.

Scáth broke into laughter and curled tighter around Harry. _I love you little one._

_And I you my shadow._ Harry said as he shifted his pack's position before laying against Scáth's neck and going to sleep.

The next several days passed calmly and quietly as they traveled west from Sílthrim, towards the elves capital Ellesméra. To everyone who wasn't an elf, the journey seemed unending. Magic, ancient magic, permeated the air. Even though there were nights and days, time seemed to have slowed. Harry expected the usual lengthening of days since it was quickly turning from spring to summer but this was different. The days seemed to blend together because of the magic that lingered in the air and the ceaseless and unchanging landscape. Finally, on their tenth day of travel, they breached the city limits of Ellesméra. Arya led them past many clearings and houses that had been grown out of the trees. Elves came out from the trees and houses as they made their way past. Several, if not all of the elves openly stared in surprise at the appearance of not only Saphira but Scáth as well. Many looked apprehensive at the black dragon but many more began rejoicing. They called out praises to both, joy and happiness evident in their voices.

Arya led them up to a set of massive doors to a structure that Harry could only assume was a royal hall of some sort. The doors swung wide to reveal a wide and long hall made from the very trees, complete with a honeycombed ceiling of branches. Twelve elf lords and ladies, adorned with fine swords on their hips and circlets upon their brows, indicating a high station among the Elven society, lined the sides of the hall. At the far end of the hall sat a weary, yet stunningly beautiful elf, upon a knotted throne. She could only be Queen Islanzadí, the ruler of the Elven realm, whom Arya had informed Harry and Murtagh about a few days before. Every head in the room turned towards them as they made their way down the hall. Murtagh walked next to Harry, behind Arya, Eragon, and Orik. Behind them walked Scáth and Saphira. Every elfin eye locked on the two dragons. Jaws slipped and eyes bulged at the sight of two dragons. One had been expected and hoped for but two was shocking. Harry and Scáth both had to suppress a snicker at the thought of what they would soon look like; they _really_ enjoyed startling people too much.

As one, the seven companions stopped in front of the throne and knelt and bowed. Scáth and Saphira didn't kneel, given their size that would've been silly, but they did lower their heads in respect to the powerful monarch.

"Rise," the queen said as she stood and descended from her throne. Despite the appearance of two dragons, Islanzadí had eyes only for Arya. "O my daughter, I have wronged you!" Harry quirked an eyebrow at the revelation but didn't otherwise reveal his surprise. Scáth was surprised as well but in both their opinion it didn't really matter much.

"Islanzadí Dröttning," Arya replied formally.

Harry could see a tension in both Arya and her mother's shoulders and he had to wonder what had happened between the two. He waited patiently and quietly as the queen beseeched her daughter and his curiosity was answered in the knowledge of the queen banishing her daughter, presumably, when Arya chose to become the ambassador to Varden for the elves. Eventually, Arya caved to the queen's pleas to reconcile their relationship and the queen turned her attention from her daughter to the others present.

"This is an auspicious occasion!" She called to the entire hall. "And I have been discourteous to our most important guests. Tell me. Who among you three are Riders?" She gestured at Harry, Murtagh, and Eragon, the only potential Riders in the room. Harry and Eragon stepped forward.

"Atra esternií ono thelduin," Eragon recited as he touched his first two fingers to his lips and twisted his hand over his sternum, the traditional greeting one used for greeting royalty. The queen was obviously surprised but returned the greeting and Eragon finished. Seconds later Harry repeated the process.

"Tell me Riders, what are your names?" Islanzadí asked looking between the two.

"I am Eragon Shadeslayer, your majesty, and my dragon is Saphira," Eragon said speaking first and gesturing at Saphira. Harry had no qualms with the way things were proceeding. He didn't want it to look like he was the head Rider or something. Far from it actually. He wanted no such attention. He wanted this war to end and for him and Scáth to live out their days in peace, nothing more.

"I am Harry, your majesty," Harry said when the shock and surprise had died from both names presented and the queen looked to him.

_And I am Scáth,_ Scáth said, introducing himself and projecting his thoughts to everyone in the room.

"Greetings to you both and welcome all to Ellesméra," the queen said with her arms open in a gesture of welcome. "Tidings like yours have not been heard of in our realm for many decades. However, there are questions that spring to mind at your arrival, particularly yours Harry and Scáth. Please tell me of how you stumbled upon Scáth's egg. The last any of us were aware, there were only three eggs left in existence and none of them were the color of Scáth's magnificent scales."

Harry suppressed a smirk at Scáth's embarrassment before speaking. "With respect your majesty," he said as he shifted, slightly nervous. "My tale his long indeed and has a few segues and is accompanied with a gift. I politely request that you listen to the others stories before coming to mine." Eragon and Orik looked to Harry in curiosity and confusion, even as Islanzadí looked at him with calculating eyes.

"Very well," the queen said in a strange tone that Harry couldn't identify. She turned her gaze from him and gestured for Eragon to begin his tale

Eragon began his narrative, starting with the moment he had discovered Saphira's egg in The Spine. It truly was an enthralling tale and encompassed much of Harry's as he had come into the picture just as Eragon was preparing to leave Palancar Valley with Brom. Whenever Eragon faltered in his tale, Saphira interjected and picked up the narration, likely having a more accurate description of events. Harry was gladdened to learn that she had provided Brom with a proper resting place, one fit for a king and the Rider he was. When Eragon finished and after a quick lamentation and segue by the queen, Arya began her tale. Slowly and in an emotionless voice, Arya spoke of Durza's ambush and the torture she had endured at his hand. Harry stiffened during this part, remembering well the injuries he had managed to repair after fleeing Gil'ead with her in his arms. When she finished, several elves looked murderous and Islanzadí had a single tear streaking down her face.

"Now," Islanzadí said once she had regained her composure after an elf lord named Däthedr had spoken. "The others have spoken their tales of woe and you have raised many questions and curiosities, Harry. As promised, speak your tale."

And he did. Harry spoke of how he had washed ashore on Vroengard, though omitted from where he had washed. The entire congregation of elves, the queen included, gasped in shock and disbelief when they learned he had resided on the dangerous island for over three months. They all considered the island cursed and only inhabitable by the creatures that already dwelled on it. Harry continued with his tale regardless and unconcerned with their shock. He altered his story minutely to make it sound like he hailed from Alagaësia and briefed over parts that had already been told, though he detailed more of how he had come to rescue Arya in Gil'ead since she did not know much of how that had come about. Several of the elves had actually chocked on surprised laughter when he had delightfully retold his humiliation of Durza on his first day in the city. Occasionally, the white raven that sat on a perch to Islanzadí's left would bark a single chocked word, wyrda, the ancient language word for _fate_. Harry did not like that one bit for every time he did, an icy cold chill raced down his spine and filled his heart with dread. He wasn't sure why but either way he didn't like it and neither did Scáth, who got the same feeling.

"To think," Däthedr spoke up once again. "That there was an egg free from Galbatorix's foul grip that we did not know of."

"Aye," the queen said somberly. She perked up a moment later and continued. "Let us not dwell on the past, black as it is, for it has brought us such shining hope. A celebration is in order but first, Rider Harry, you spoke of a gift that accompanied your tale."

"Ah yes!" Harry said as if he had forgotten and clapping his hands. "Arya svit-kona, if you would please." Arya came over to stand next to Murtagh, who had yet to actually speak during the meeting. Harry slipped his pack off his shoulders and held it out in front of him and stood in front of Murtagh and Arya, his back to the queen and blocking her view. In the ancient language he said, "To you, queen Islanzadí, I present two new Riders and the last of the known dragon eggs." He stepped aside to reveal Arya holding the green egg and Murtagh holding the red one.

The entire hall was dead silent. His words could not have been mistaken for he had spoken clearly and loudly. Two elves, who were nearest to the front and had the best view, fainted dead away and Eragon looked gobsmacked, as did Saphira surprisingly. Orik had his mouth hanging open making it look like he had a bearded cave in the middle of his body. Blagden, the white raven, barked his damning word of fate with what sounded liked amusement. Islanzadí, most composed, merely held a look of astonishment, indicated by her comically wide eyes and slightly agape mouth. The other elves watched in stunned amazement as the dragon hatchlings, under Scáth's prodding and assurances, finally began breaking through their stone like eggs and embraced their new Riders.

_We enjoy this too much,_ Scáth commented silently and with a mental chuckle at all the stunned and amazed faces in the room.

_Bah, with such atrocities running amuck in the lands, one must find some way to amuse themselves,_ Harry reasoned, though he too privately agreed that they, perhaps, took just a little too much pleasure in unsettling people.

"This… I… how…" Islanzadí stammered in disbelief as she stared at the two new dragons that were held in Arya's and Murtagh's arms. Arya and Murtagh now supported a gedwëy ignasia on their left and right hands respectively.

"The how is not that important," Harry said, hoping to stave off any questions that he could not and would not answer. "What matters, is that they are here and our chances of dethroning the black betrayer have tipped slightly in our favor." Another croak of _Wyrda_ came from Blagden and Harry broke. He glared death and the bird. It merely croaked the word again.

"He is right!" The queen declared suddenly coming out of her stupor. "Let us rejoice! My daughter has returned and with her, four Riders have graced us when we have only held hope for one! The very earth shall tremble under the throws of our celebration!"

The gathered elves clamored their agreement and everyone marched from the hall with Islanzadí in the lead. She led them towards a large clearing where several long tables sat. Even as they approached, elves came from every angle of the surrounding forest, several carrying platters piled with various dishes, all complied of fruits, vegetables, and mushrooms. Harry never questioned their lack of meat; he could guess easily enough as to why they refused it. He himself had troubles eating the meat of his kills on Vroengard because of the memories and feelings he had experienced through his constant surveying of the minds around him. Scáth and Saphira sat themselves at the end of one of the largest tables where large carved platters sat for them, filled with pies and other fruits. Arya took to Islanzadí's right hand and Eragon her left. Harry sat on the other side of Eragon and Murtagh next to him. The two new hatchlings sat next to their Riders and gorged themselves on the fabulous meal.

Laughter rang freely as the elves became more inhibited by their drinks and the music flowed beautifully into everyone's ears. Harry refrained from drinking too much Faelnirv, always a little paranoid about being on guard and prepared, but he did relax and enjoy himself. He laughed and joked right along with everyone else. Some elves would stand up and entertain the congregation with poems, songs, or something else equally entertaining. The freedom of the last two known dragons seemed to light a fire within the elves and they didn't stop celebrating until the sun was low on the horizon. As the festivities died down, Blagden hopped off Islanzadí's shoulder and waddled his way down the table, bowing here and there to various elves. He went all the way down to the end of the table and tossed a joking riddle at both Saphira and Scáth. Scáth merely ignored the pun but Saphira puffed smoke at the bird and taunted it back. Harry and the other elves laughed. Blagden coughed and hacked through the smoke and wobbled back up the table. He paused when he was in front of Harry.

"_Wyrda!_" He croaked ominously. Harry looked at the bird with a blank face, belying his discomfort. His expression quickly turned into one of surprise when Blagden flapped up to his shoulder. "_Wyrda!_" He said again, almost as if he was clearing his throat. Then, in a voice that was uncharacteristically clear and so low only Harry could hear, he spoke again. "Beware Rider, fate is not so easily escaped." The bird warned before he continued in a more cryptic manner, which was more like him. "Two worlds, two fates, two wars, two paths, two choices; One cannot fall only to be replaced by another. Make your choice wisely Rider. It will affect us all. _Wyrda!_"

Though Harry kept his face blank, he could not keep his blood from draining from his face. He didn't understand much of what the bird had said but one thing was painfully clear, his past was not as behind him as he had thought or hoped. Harry schooled his features and returned his attention to the festivities. The gathered elves, along with Eragon and Murtagh, looked at him in confusion and worry, thinking Blagden had offended him, but he smiled and assured them all that everything was fine and that he had not been offended. It was true, Blagden had not offended him; he had scared him. Most didn't really believe him but Scáth diverted everyone's attention by giving a particularly loud belch and blew a large grey smoke ring that danced its way across the table. It spun and wobbled and danced along its way, aided by the air currents and occasional, subtle plays of the shadows of twilight.

_Thank you,_ Harry said with a small smile. All he got in response was concern and worry. Scáth knew the meaning behind Blagden's words just as Harry did and didn't like it anymore. There was no point in discussing it though. Fate would have its will, with or without their say and all they could do was wait, watch, and choose the best course they could.

–Scene Break–

The next month and a half passed quietly for Harry and Scáth. There had been a rather amusing encounter the day after they had arrived in Ellesméra when their teachers, a Rider and dragon of old, had revealed themselves only to stare on in stunned wonder at having four students to teach instead of the expected one. It had been highly unexpected and very amusing but beyond that, nothing outrageously ridiculous happened. In the mornings, the four of them would go to the sparing field where elves practiced with the blade and train for a little over an hour before returning to the Crags of Tel'naeír and study with Oromis and Glaedr, their teachers. Since Harry was fairly advanced in his training, surpassing even Arya, he had taken it upon himself, with Oromis' permission of course, to assist Murtagh in his magical training since he was the farthest behind. That was probably Harry's favorite part of the day. Not only did he get to spend some one on one time with Murtagh but he also found that he rather enjoyed teaching.

Today was a beautiful sunny day. Harry, Murtagh, Eragon, Arya, and Oromis were all under a willow tree practicing the Rimgar, something that Harry associated with yoga only slightly different. Harry had chosen to perform the Rimgar bare-chested since it was warm and sunny, figuring that he might as well enjoy the sun fully while working out. His swords, for he had acquired a second one from one of the rare elf smiths that made swords, rested against the trunk of the willow and within easy reach. Harry never went anywhere without his weapons, a battle hardened lesson that he had learned early on in his life.

Harry twitched his head to the side as something, presumably a blade of grass, tickled his ear. He heard a soft chuckling but didn't bother to open his eyes to look and focused on completing his current pose, where he was attempting to bow himself backwards, keeping both hands and feet firmly on the ground. Something, likely a butterfly he thought, fluttered against his nose making him scrunch and twitch. He let out a puff of air to drive the thing away. Since the sensations stopped, he assumed he had succeeded but the chuckling sounded again for some reason but he didn't pause to consider it.

"_Harry,_" Someone called.

"_Yes?_" Harry answered, not really realizing what he was doing or to whom he was speaking. He still hadn't opened his eyes.

"Why are you hissing Harry?" Eragon's voice sounded from Harry's right.

Confusion wrinkled Harry's brow but he still hadn't opened his eyes. "_I'm not hissing._" Harry responded, not really hearing his own voice. Someone chuckled again.

"_You really should learn to pay more attention to your surroundings Harry,_" a different voice sounded. This time Harry heard the slight hiss and his eyes snapped open only to bulge wide as he found himself facing an upside down (to him anyways) snake that he could recognize even if it had contorted itself to look like the world's most convoluted pretzel.

"Sasha!?" Harry questioned in shock. His concentration diverted from maintaining his balance, Harry collapsed to the ground and bruised his hip on an unseen rock. He groaned and rolled away from the painful thing. "Stop laughing Sasha, it isn't funny." He said to the laughing snake as he rubbed his abused hip.

"_Yes it is,_" Sasha said through her laughter. Her smooth, shiny scales that were black and white reflected the sunlight as she bounced up and down in her hilarity. Harry glared at the snake.

"Harry, who are you speaking to?" Oromis questioned as he came out of his own pose and walked over to where Harry was still sitting awkwardly on the ground and rubbing his hips. He offered Harry a hand.

"That laughing clown of a snake," Harry explained as he accepted the assist to his feet. Oromis looked down to where Harry was pointing and saw the black snake with two white stripes running down its back.

"_I am not a clown and I thank you not to compare my beauty to such a horrendous muggle profession._" Sasha said haughtily as she made her way up Harry's leg and came to rest on his shoulders, her favorite perch.

"_What're you doing here you mischievous little snake?_" Harry asked, knowing it would prove futile to argue his point. "_And how for that matter?_"

Before Sasha could reply, Oromis spoke up. "Harry, are you saying that you and this snake can freely converse using words?" Harry looked up from the snake to see everyone looking at him. Eragon looked like he thought Harry was losing it. Murtagh and Arya looked more curious than anything else, likely wondering if this was some sort of talent people in his world had. Eragon and Oromis were actually the only ones present that didn't know Harry came from a different world.

"Yes we can," Harry answered. "And before you ask, no it is not a result of a spell; it is something I was born with."

Harry's eyes drifted over to the forest line and he froze and didn't hear a word of what Oromis had said in response to Harry's statement. Perched on a low branch at the edge of the forest line sat an unmistakable bird. With feathers of fire, it could only be Fawkes, the phoenix that resided at Hogwarts back in his home world. Fear gripped Harry's heart and he heard Scáth roar in such anger that it bellowed over the forest from wherever Glaedr had taken them. Fawkes' presence could only mean one thing; they had found him.


	8. Chapter 8: Return

**Disclaimer: **Aside from my OC's I own nothing.

**A/N: **Ok! Here's the new chapter! I hope you guys enjoy it. However I need to say that if anyone who doesn't like Dumblebashing then I would not suggest reading the scene in Dumbledore's office that comes near the end of the chapter. Also I wish to inform any of my readers that are following my other fics, I will be rewriting my story Revenge as I cannot get past my writers block and I do not like the direction the story is taking. I will have the first chapter posted in an hour or so, at the very latest tomorrow. Anyways! enjoy the update! :)

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CHAPTER EIGHT: RETURN

"When, who, and how many?" Harry asked in a flat voice. Fawkes emitted a few chirps and singing warbles and Sasha translated.

"_Two and any minute,_" Sasha said as the shadows of the forest lengthened. They stretched and grew until Scáth came tearing out of the tree line and bounded over to Harry, looking extremely agitated and with a murderous fire burning in his jeweled eyes. Distantly Harry heard Oromis and the others questioning him about what was going on but he ignored them.

Harry held out his right hand and Bhuailteoir went flying out of its sheath and into his waiting grasp. That was when he felt it. The air pulsed with the all too familiar aura of magic, _wizarding_ magic. In the area between Harry and the forest line, lightning seemed to appear out of nowhere. It arched from a central point and seemed to create a focal point for what was quickly becoming a portal. Wind rustled the branches of the nearby trees. In a quick flash of white light, two figures appeared from the now absent portal. Before anyone could so much as blink, Harry had the black haired figure by the hair with Bhuailteoir pointed at his jugular and Scáth had the other one pinned to the ground under one of his massive claws.

"Drop it Severus!" Harry growled dangerously, emphasizing his point by digging his blade into his neck, though not enough to pierce the skin. "If you value your life, you will drop your wand to the ground." Severus Snape, Harry's old potions master, hesitated briefly but another poignant poke from the blade at his throat had his wand falling from his fingers.

"Potter," Severus greeted, for he had no doubts that this was the boy they sought. "Arrogant as ever I see." The words barely left his mouth before a threatening growl sounded throughout the Crags and Scáth's pearly white fangs were suddenly gleaming before Severus' eyes.

_You would do well to hold your own arrogance in check, lest you become my next meal._ Scáth declared viciously, over powering the man's Occlumency shields with little effort.

"It would behoove you to listen to my friend Severus," Harry purred dangerously into the man's ear. "He is so very protective of me. Remus," He continued on speaking to the man pinned beneath Scáth's powerful limb. "If you would be so kind as to relinquish your wand."

"Harry!" Oromis called in a stern voice, forcing Harry to look over at him. "What is going on?"

"My apologies Master," Harry said in the ancient language so the others wouldn't understand him. "I had not told you earlier because I did not think it mattered but it seems my past has caught up with me. I do not hail from Alagaësia." Once Remus had tossed his wand away, Harry released his grip on Severus' hair and spun him around. With his now free hand, Harry summed the two wands to keep the others from summoning them again. He kept Bhuailteoir pointed at Severus. "Now," he continued in English as Scáth let Remus up and moved to stand behind Harry. "Are you going to tell me why you're here or am I going to have to guess? Though I'm fairly certain I already know." Harry saw Severus start to make what was likely to be a scathing comment but a growl from Scáth had him biting his tongue.

"Albus sent us Harry," Remus explained. "But I just had to see for myself whether or not you were still alive. It's been so long since anyone has seen you."

"It hasn't even been a year," Harry said absently, not taking his eyes off Severus, whom he deemed the bigger threat. Both wizards looked at him in surprise and disbelief at that comment and Harry wasn't so sure of his account of time anymore.

"N-no, Harry." Remus said hesitantly and with confusion. "It's been ten. A full decade passed since you ran away."

Harry faltered at that and his eyes shifted to stare at Remus in surprise, though Bhuailteoir remained steadily trained on Severus. "Ten years?" He questioned in surprise.

"If it has only been one year for you and ten for us, then time must pass differently here," Severus said, carefully keeping his voice neutral.

"Be that as it may," Harry said, shaking the thought from his mind, unconcerned with it. "Why are you here? And if it is to bring me back, you both can go back to where you came from."

"Harry please," Remus pleaded, desperately trying to cling to the last relic of his childhood friends and the boy that had brought him such happiness. "At least hear us out."

Harry stood there, torn. He wanted to spend time with Remus as badly as Remus wanted to spend time with him. The fact remained, however, that Harry had no desire at all to return to the world he had left behind. "Fine," he spat eventually as he lowered his sword. "But your wands remain with me until you leave."

"Harry," Oromis called again. "Might I have a word with you in private?" It wasn't really a question but Oromis made it sound like one for the sake of appearances. Harry nodded and followed everyone else into Oromis' hut. Scáth remained outside, keeping a keen watch over the unexpected guests. "I will not berate you for keeping this secret Harry," Oromis said once they were all inside. "Letting it be widely known that you do not come from this land could prove dangerous and it was wise of you not to bandy it about."

"Thank you ebrithil," Harry said gratefully and with a small bow.

"You are welcome. Now," Oromis said his voice growing stern at the end. "That being said, I need to know, are these two strangers a threat?"

Harry sighed and looked out the window at Remus and Severus, both of whom were standing around looking uncomfortable. In the distance, Harry heard the tell tale thud of Glaedr's massive wings. "They are no threat to anyone. They are here for me and me alone."

"Why?" Murtagh asked as he too looked out the window and eyed the strangers curiously.

"Because I ran away from my world," Harry said with bitter pain in his voice. Scáth rumbled in agitation at Harry's distress. "I had been betrayed one too many times and I decided to flee. I hadn't intended to come to Alagaësia, I actually had no clue it even existed, but fate wants what it will and I ended up on the shores of Vroengard. I'm not complaining really. I can't imagine living without Scáth anymore." Understanding nods and chuckles came from the other Riders in the room. The concussive thuds of Glaedr's wings grew louder, indicating that he was getting closer. "Come, you will likely hear much of my previous life from my conversation with those two."

Harry grabbed a few chairs while Oromis grabbed a table. He conjured two more chairs since there were only five and set them around the small table. Harry had just seated himself after retrieving his things from underneath the willow when Glaedr and the other dragons came into view. He landed as gracefully as he could with his severed limb and hobbled over to lay behind Oromis. Saphira soon followed, laying off to the side, closer to Scáth. Fëon and Fírnen, Murtagh's and Arya's dragons came next. They were smaller than the others' were so they settled more closely to their Riders. Fírnen was male and unlike most dragons, had amber eyes instead of the green of his scales. He was slightly unsure of himself given his years of being trapped in his egg but his confidence was growing just as fast as he was. Fëon was actually female and almost as stunningly beautiful as Saphira's sparkling hide. Murtagh had suggested the name a few weeks after his dragon hatched because she had reminded him of a flower he had seen once. Scáth wouldn't admit it but he found the young dragon to be quite attractive and Harry took to teasing him occasionally. Remus and Severus looked both confused and frightened at the presence of so many dragons but neither seemed willing to comment on the matter.

"I suppose introductions are in order," Harry as he pulled on his elven tunic, after coaxing Sasha off his shoulders momentarily. Fawkes was still perched over in the forest, watching everything. "Remus, Severus, this is Oromis, Arya, Murtagh, and Eragon. Their dragons are, respectively, Glaedr, Fírnen, Fëon, and Saphira. Everyone, this is Remus Lupin and Severus Snape." Everyone greeted each other, stiffly and unsure of the other parties. "By your presence, I take it that the war has not ended."

"No," Remus said sadly, weariness evident in his voice. "It grew steadily worse after you left. With your disappearance, the Death Eaters grew more and more confident and with each passing year hope dwindled among the resistance. Dumbledore," Harry fought vainly to keep a sneer off his face. Scáth openly growled at the name and bared his teeth. Remus paused in confusion at their reactions but soon pressed on, not wanting to press an apparently sensitive issue. "He has divided his time between organizing those who still resist and into finding you."

"Lazy sod," Harry snorted at Dumbledore's actions. "Should've spent more time trying to kill the monster rather than wasting it searching for me."

"While you've been living it up here Potter," Severus said, unable to restrain himself any longer. "People have been dying and all because you couldn't hack it and ran away."

Scáth growled loudly and made to step towards Severus but Harry held him back. Agitated, Scáth racked his claws over the ground, inflicting gouges two feet deep in the ground, a clear warning. "If I have been 'living it up' as you say Severus," Harry said calmly but with a hard and dangerous edge to his voice. He slipped his hand up his left sleeve and adjusted the metal band on his arm. His arm disconnected painlessly and Harry tossed it into the center of the table. "I'd hate to see what you think a pauper lives like." Calmly Harry rose and walked to the edge of the cliff that over looked Du Weldenvarden. Scáth followed, issuing a growl to the two stunned wizards.

_Little one,_ Scáth said gently as he sat down next to Harry and wrapped a wing around him.

_I'm ok_, Harry assured as he lent into the embrace. _He stopped getting under my skin a long time ago._

_A show?_ Scáth asked, sensing that Harry wasn't lying. His answer was evident in the mischievous smirk that played across Harry's face. _Why?_

The little amusement that he held quickly drained from his face. _Because I have to go back. _

Scáth huffed irritably. _Why?_ He didn't like the idea of Harry going back to a world that had treated him the way they had.

_Because of what Blagden said,_ Harry explained. _Voldemort will never be satisfied with ruling one world. Should he ever discover the existence of others and a way to travel between them, which is evident that it's possible, then he will wreak havoc everywhere he can. Like the crazy bird said, one cannot fall only to be replaced by another._

_I do not want you to go back alone,_ Scáth said as he lowered his head to stare at Harry with one big eye. Harry's heart nearly broke at the sadness evident in the big black eye.

_I could never ask you to stay behind in such an important matter._ Harry said softly but firmly as he laid his hand on Scáth's cheek. _Never could I leave behind the other half of my soul. Never, you silly dragon. _Harry emphasized his point by sneaking his fingers under Scáth's jaw and began playing with a spot he knew to be ticklish. Scáth choked on forced laughter and quickly lifted his head out Harry's reach. _Trust me my shadow. I have a plan._

"Harry?" Remus' nervous voice sounded from the other side of Scáth's leathery wing, which was still wrapped around Harry. Scáth quickly lifted it out of the way, revealing the nervous werewolf. "Harry… I have no idea what you've been through over, apparently the past year and I don't pretend to understand. I would like to know though, what I did to make you so angry with me."

"Angry?" Harry questioned in disbelief. "Remus, I've never been angry with you. The single and greatest regret I had when I ran away was that I might never get to see you again." He wrapped Remus in a one armed hug, which the werewolf happily returned it. Absently, Harry noted that he was almost as tall as Remus, standing at just under six feet.

"I'm glad to hear that Harry," Remus said when they pulled away. "But why did you run?"

Harry sighed heavily and led the man back to the table saying, "That is an explanation for another time." When they reached the table, Harry sat down and picked up his arm, which Oromis was examining it curiously. He rolled up his sleeve and reattached the limb, the magical band animating magically and resealing itself to look solid and whole. "I do hope you two know that your trip was essentially wasted. I have no intention of returning to Hogwarts." Harry looked at Remus and spoke to him mentally while simultaneously casting a spell over the wolf to ensure his mind could not be read.

"So you will remain here in relative safety while others continue to die?" Severus retorted snidely. "How very Slytherin of you, Potter, saving yourself instead of others."

"Yes well," Harry said, unable to hide the large smirk that came at those words. "The hat did want to place me in Slytherin after all." He laughed outright when Severus started sputtering in disbelief. "I suppose that I'm probably the most Slytherin student you will have ever met."

"What're you talking about Harry?" Remus asked, trying to hide his own smile. He had long ago stopped caring about which house someone came from.

"Well, you see, Slytherin's are all about appearances, masks if you will," Harry explained as he leaned forward to rest his arms on the table. "They're all about hiding their true selves from the public. Well I knew from the very beginning that people would be expecting a certain image from me." His face broke into large, dangerous, and mischievous smile. "Being the insecure child I was, I decided to provide that image for them. I gave them the image of my parents' child, of the student that could only excel in Defense Against the Dark Arts because of his defeat of the most notorious dark wizard when he was not but a baby. I spent the next five years as a snake in a den of lions. No one, not even Dumbledore was aware of the true depth of my skills and knowledge."

"Impossible," Severus scoffed. "I would've seen such deception in your fifth year during your Occlumency lessons."

"And if I already knew advanced Occlumency techniques?" Harry questioned, enjoying this very much actually. "One thing I knew long before our lessons, Severus, was that the connection cannot fully be blocked. I went along with the lessons merely to keep up the façade, all the while keeping it hidden that I already knew Occlumency among my other skills, talents, and knowledge. The façade was so complete, even Voldemort believed it." By now, Remus was suppressing laughter while making quiet comments about how just like his parents Harry was.

"How do we know you're telling the truth?" Severus demanded, still not believing the truth of Harry's words.

Harry held out his hand and said a line in the ancient language, a line Brom had recited so many months ago. A small bird, a finch, fluttered from the tree line and alighted on Harry's hand. He stroked its feathers for a few minutes and whispered for it to relax and then waved his hand over the bird and it morphed into a clear glass goblet. A second wave of his hand had the bird back into its natural state. It looked slightly disoriented but otherwise unharmed, as his promise in the ancient language would've prevented. The spell was simple, a second year transfiguration, but to do so wandlessly and wordlessly took much greater skill. Harry calmed the bird with a few more strokes before allowing it to fly back to its nest.

"How do you think I copied half the Hogwarts library and the entire Black library in Grimmauld place?" Harry questioned leaning back in his chair. Even Remus seemed impressed by Harry's display. "How do you think I got away with practicing spells during the summer? The Ministry isn't capable of registering wandless magic and do you honestly think that a mere fourteen-year-old student could've survived the Triwizard Tournament _and _an encounter with the Dark Lord and six other Death Eaters? Most adults couldn't claim such feats."

_I was wondering where you got so many books,_ Scáth remarked, causing Harry to grin sheepishly.

"Is there nothing we can do or say to change your mind Harry?" Remus pleaded, playing his part well for Harry had already detailed his plans to the man.

"I'm afraid not Remus," Harry said as he studied the sky and the sun that was starting to set. It surprised him how quickly time had moved while they spoke. "And I am afraid you must leave as soon as possible. The full moon is tonight."

Remus grimaced as Severus stood and spoke. "I had expected things to be different Potter. You certainly aren't the runt that ran ten years ago." The man looked like he was sucking on lemons but he continued. "As much as I think you should return with us, we cannot force you. Not that we would succeed even if we tried." He looked pointedly at Scáth and the surrounding dragons. "We will leave, but I fear we walk to our deaths."

"Death comes to all beings Severus," Harry said as he handed over their wands. "Even the Dark Lord." He stood and gave Remus a hug and then watched as Severus started going through a complex pattern of wand movements and chants. The magic built in the air again and with a flash of light, just as before, they were gone.

_This is a rather unexpected turn of events,_ Glaedr commented to them all once Remus and Severus had vanished. _In all my years, I have never seen anything like that._

"Agreed," Oromis said as he watched Harry carefully as the boy sat back down, looking extremely weary. "We won't be getting anything more done today so I think we can all retire."

The others nodded their consent but Harry didn't move. He remained where he was as the others returned to Ellesméra and watched the sun set, casting its beautiful rays across the sky. Oromis sat next to him, patiently waiting for Harry to speak. Scáth lay next to Glaedr, patiently waiting for Harry to bring himself back together from the emotional turmoil that he had experienced in only a few short hours. Finally, when the rim of the sun was just barely touching the horizon, Harry spoke, slowly and carefully.

"I must go back Master," he said in the ancient language. "You do not know the destruction that monster would wreak if he ever discovered the existence of this world. He would be far worse than Galbatorix."

"Then why did you not go with them?" Oromis questioned calmly, though inside he shivered at the thought of anyone being worse than the monster that had destroyed the Riders order. "Surely their spell could've encompassed you as well."

Harry snorted sarcastically but answered evenly and respectively. "I did not want to give them the impression that I was a dotting lap dog that they could call upon whenever they wanted. Besides, I wish for Scáth to come with me and I do not know if the spell would have worked with a dragon in the mix."

"Yes, I have no doubt that Scáth would refuse to remain behind and I do not know how your bond would survive such a separation." Oromis commented, in an almost teacher like tone. "How would you manage to get you both from here back to your own world though?"

"You know that Scáth is a Shadow Dragon right?"

"Yes," Oromis nodded. "Glaedr told me as much the first day after we encountered you all. He always was very adept at identifying things."

Harry smiled at that and continued. "It is my belief that Scáth can transport us to where we need to go." He looked over at Scáth, who wasn't very certain but was going to try nonetheless. "Shadows permeate every plane of existence, every world, and every land. There is no place they don't exist as far as I know. If what Scáth has told me about Shadow Dragons is true and they can use the shadows to travel quickly and efficiently to wherever they want so long as they know where they are going, then it would stand to reason that Scáth can traverse different worlds so long as shadows exist there."

_Solid reasoning,_ Glaedr said, impressed. _Very logical._

"Very," Oromis agreed. "But we don't know if it will work. No one has ever attempted such a thing before."

_No one ever had a reason,_ Glaedr responded reasonably. _Never before has one from a different world come to Alagaësia, let alone been one of the Riders._

"True," Oromis conceded after a few moments thought. "When do you plan on leaving Harry?"

"Tonight," Harry said sadly. It was obvious that he didn't want to go back but they all knew that he had to if he was ever to find any measure of peace. "There is no sense in delaying and the sooner we leave, the sooner we can return. Hopefully we will be back in plenty of time to assist in toppling Galbatorix."

"You do not wish to remain in the world you come from?" Oromis asked, surprised by the revelation. Harry had said he had been betrayed but he did not think it ran that deep.

"I have no wish to remain in a world filled with falsities, lies, and backstabbers." Harry explained as he stood and belted his swords around his waist. "I cannot guarantee that our endeavor will succeed, Master, but I can assure you that we will do our best to return as quickly as possible."

"Do not rush things Harry," Oromis counseled, ever wise. "If this Voldemort is as dangerous as you make him out to be, then take the time and finish the task properly. Do not allow eagerness and haste to cloud your judgment. The same goes for you Scáth."

"We will not fail you Master," Harry and Scáth said simultaneously and with small bows.

"That, I do not doubt," Oromis said as he rose from his own seat. "And do not forget your lessons. Just because you are gallivanting off in a different dimension or world or whatever you want to call it, doesn't mean that I will tolerate you slipping in your studies."

Harry smiled and with a small chuckle, said, "I won't Master."

After a quick blessing in the ancient language, Scáth and Harry were flying back towards Ellesméra to gather the rest of Harry's things. He didn't have much, mostly clothes, but there were things, like the scrolls Oromis had given all of his students. They were essentially compendiums of words and names in the ancient language. Oromis had given them so they could learn the ancient language and be as fluent as any elf in the language. Scáth alighted into the tree house that the elves had given them and Harry quickly dismounted and began gathering his things. He had just finished strapping on Scáth's fur saddle when a voice sounded behind him.

"You're leaving." It wasn't a question but a fact. Harry sadly turned to face Murtagh, who was standing in the doorway to the room.

"Unfortunately," Harry said with deep regret in his voice. He and Murtagh had grown quite close to each other over their stay in Ellesméra and Harry would miss him deeply. "I cannot allow the war of my homeland to ravage Alagaësia when it is so close to finding the peace it has sought for over a century."

"I thought you didn't want to go back?" Murtagh asked in confusion. It also sounded like there was a note of irritation to his voice but Harry wasn't quite sure.

"Believe me, Murtagh, I don't." Harry said firmly, needing the other man to understand. "If I did not believe that there was a chance the war could leak here then I would leave my world to its own devices for it has done nothing but cause me pain and heartache. I cannot allow it to cause me anymore and it would should its war spread here. I have to do this Murtagh, even if I don't want to."

"You're the closest thing I've ever had to a true and honest friend," Murtagh said, shifting uncomfortably. "I don't want to see that disappear like everything else in my life."

Harry stepped up to Murtagh and gripped his biceps. "I know Murtagh," he said with such conviction that the other man had no choice but to believe it. Harry was about to say more but the words died in his throat as something entirely unexpected happened.

Before Harry even realized what was going on, Murtagh had gripped Harry's head and pressed their lips together. For one single, unimaginable moment, everything froze. No breath came to Harry's lungs. No blood pulsed in Harry's veins. Every single, solitary thought that Harry might have possessed, vanished entirely, leaving his mind completely and utterly blank. So complete was his shock and disbelief that he stood frozen and unaware of anything and everything except those surprisingly soft and silky lips that were pressed against his own. Suddenly, Murtagh pulled away, allowing Harry to become slightly more aware of his surroundings.

"Sorry… I shouldn't have… I didn't mean…" Murtagh stammered as he quickly started backing away. His shields were down and his insecurities were laid bare for Harry to see. He was mistaking Harry's shock for rejection and he was trying to run from the situation.

Not allowing Murtagh to back up any further, Harry pulled him back in and pressed their lips back together, clearly returning Murtagh's affections. Harry deepened the kiss and pouring all of his passion into that kiss. He had been denied this for so long, suppressed that half of himself for so many years. He wasn't about to allow such a golden opportunity to slip past. Harry slipped his tongue into Murtagh's mouth, relishing the sweet taste that reminded Harry of a fresh water spring mixed with strawberries. Murtagh's shock had been no less than Harry's was and it took him several moments just to comprehend that Harry was not rejecting his advance. Slowly, he started responding to the kiss, running his tongue along Harry's, eliciting a soft moan from the green-eyed youth. They started battling back and forth and the kiss seemed endless and filled with unprecedented passion for both participants. Their blood burned with desire and their heart rates sped up with each passing moment. They likely would have continued even further but a polite, yet poignant cough ended the moment and they broke apart, leaning their foreheads on each others.

"I will return," Harry promised in the ancient language. "I swear it." He pressed their lips together one last time before turning, snatching up his pack, and mounting Scáth, who had been facing the large teardrop portal to give them some measure of privacy. Harry looked back as Scáth jumped out into the open air, sharing in the look of longing and sadness that he saw on Murtagh's face.

_Are you ready?_ Scáth asked softly, not wanting to intrude upon Harry's thoughts but they needed to get going.

_Yes,_ Harry said, shaking his thoughts and turning them to the task at hand.

After another few seconds to prepare themselves, they opened up their minds fully to each other. This was unlike any other time they had melded their minds; this was much greater. They didn't just allow their minds to mesh and mingle; they became each other. Their minds melded together into a single, cohesive whole. They breathed as one, they blinked as one, they moved as one. There was no distinction between Harry and Scáth. It was Harry's wings that beat against the air and it was Scáth's legs that clung to the fur saddle. Nothing was hidden from the other. Scáth witnessed Harry's past, all of it, as if he had been the one to live it and Harry was privy to all of Scáth's fragmented ancestral memories. Their emotions were the same and their hearts beat as one. Two bodies they had but that was not how it felt to either of them. This merging was necessary, for without it, Scáth would not know where he was going and would make their trip much more tricky.

As one and with an image of Hogwarts planted firmly in their mind, they pulled on the magic that Scáth always felt deep within his mind, linking him to the realm of shadows. The night around them grew darker. The stars began to disappear and the full moon soon followed. In a matter of moments, neither of them could see anything but darkness but neither were frightened for this was their realm. The darkness was all encompassing and they could feel nothing as they continually flapped their wings to propel them forward. Suddenly, the shadows snapped and they were once again flying underneath a starry sky with a crescent moon on the wane nearing its apex. With two heads, they looked down on the magnificent structure of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

_We so rule!_ They thought simultaneously, though the thought was inspired by Harry's part in the mental melding. Slowly and very delicately, they began unraveling their minds, becoming individuals once more. Truly, though, neither were as they had been for who could experience such a complete merging and come out unscathed.

"_By all that is holy!_" Came a rather unexpected hissing from Harry's shoulder. "_That is quite possibly the strangest form of travel I have ever experienced! Warn me next time!_"

Harry, more himself than dragon now, looked down to see Sasha poking her head out from underneath his cloak. He had completely forgotten about the snake in everything that had happened. A second later, a burst of fire lit up the night ever so briefly to reveal Fawkes flying along Scáth. Harry couldn't help but smile at the firebird. It chirped at him, a strange and indecipherable chirp, and flew off towards the castle and one of its many towers. Scáth, knowing from Harry's memories that he could not fit within the castle, glided towards the edge of the forest where a small hut resided with lights on inside, indicating the usual occupant was home.

_I'm sorry you cannot accompany me inside,_ Harry said as he slid down Scáth's front leg when he landed.

_It would not be wise in any matter,_ Scáth responded as he shook himself before settling down on the ground near the hut. _I would likely turn that bearded fool into a snack. I trust you will not be kind with him?_

Harry smiled dangerously, even as he approached the huts front door and knocked. _Rest assured, he won't seem so popular once I'm through with him. _

_Good,_ Scáth said as the door opened to reveal the lovable half giant, Hagrid.

"Hagrid!" Harry called, happy to see the man, someone whom he considered his first friend.

"Harry?" The half giant questioned even as Harry threw a hug around the big man. It was obvious that he wasn't believing his eyes. "Blimey! Is that really you Harry?"

"I missed you Hagrid." Harry said as he pulled back from the hug and lowered his hood, being sure to keep his cloak mostly closed so as to conceal his weapons. "I'm glad to see that you have survived unscathed in my absence."

"Blimey!" Hagrid said, still in shock. "Where've ye been the last ten years?"

"Ah, you wouldn't believe me if I told you," Harry said, dodging the question. He grabbed the man by his arm and started tugging him outside. "Come on! There's someone I want you to meet." Too stunned to resist Harry's tugging, Hagrid lumbered outside behind the eager youth. In a few short strides, they were standing in front of Scáth. "Hagrid, this is my dragon, Scáth." A little overwhelmed, Hagrid promptly fell backwards in a dead faint.

_Should I take that as a compliment?_ Scáth rumbled in laughter. It just never got old, shocking people like this.

"Probably," Harry remarked with a smirk as he pulled out his wand and splashed water in Hagrid's face, startling the man into consciousness once more. "Sorry Hagrid," he said when the half giant had stopped spluttering. "I didn't mean to startle you like that."

"I'm good," Hagrid assured as he returned to his feet. "I just can't believe you managed to tame a real dragon. Blimey Harry, I wish I had one like you."

"I'm sure you would Hagrid," Harry said with a wink to Scáth. "He is far beyond anything even remotely resembling a pet or even a familiar." He demonstrated this by walking forward and hugging Scáth's snout. He heard Hagrid gasp in shock and he couldn't help but smile further. "I know how badly you've always wanted to meet a dragon though, so I thought you'd like to meet Scáth." For the time being he thought it wise to hold off on the fact that Scáth could talk. He didn't want Hagrid to faint again.

"You'll have to tell me how you managed this Harry," Hagrid said, still in awe.

"I might some day," Harry said ambiguously. "But right now I have to go up to the castle. Would you mind keeping an eye on him and maybe getting him some food? He won't harm you or anything. He's actually quite friendly."

"It'd be my pleasure Harry," Hagrid assured, staring in wonder at the magnificent dragon. "My pleasure."

"Fabulous! But remember," He continued sternly, causing Hagrid to turn his eyes on him. "He's far smarter than you would think and not like most of the magical creatures you're used to dealing with. Just treat him like you would me and you'll be fine."

Hagrid nodded in understanding and Harry walked off towards the castle after giving the half giant another hug. Harry's swift and strong strides betrayed none of the anxiety he felt as he closed in on the castle that he had once deemed his home. He had never expected to see this place again and he was disappointed by what he saw. The castle seemed to have lost the luster that had made it sparkle in Harry's school days. It seemed weary, almost depressed. Clearly the war was having its effect on the castle like it was everywhere else and that only served to anger Harry and override his anxiety. He could see several minds within the castle, all adults. The lack of children made Harry suspect that it was currently summer, or they had simply stopped coming to the famed school.

Harry walked through the large main doors of the castle, which opened of their own accord at his approach. His leather knee high boots, another elven purchase, made not a whisper as he moved swiftly through the corridors. He made his way down a familiar path, encountering no one, until he finally reached the stone gargoyle that guarded the Headmaster's office. The gargoyle grinned at Harry's approach and stepped aside without prompt. Few people knew it, in fact Harry believed he was the only one, but the gargoyle was actually sentient. Harry had actually discovered the little tidbit of information from one of the many portraits in the castle and he had become good friends with the guarding statue. Silent as a shadow, Harry made his way up the immobile spiral staircase, grateful that the guard had not alerted the occupants in the office.

–Scene Break–

Albus Dumbledore, weathered veteran of two wars, renowned wizard of the light, and Headmaster of Britain's most prestigious wizarding school, was not having a good day. He had not had a good day in over ten years. He was nearing 130 and he was not getting any younger. This war was not supposed to play out the way it had. Harry was supposed to have killed Voldemort by now, under Dumbledore's guidance of course. Unfortunately, that had not happened. For some inexplicable reason, the boy had up and ran away a few weeks after the happenings at the Ministry at the end of his fifth year. What was worse, was that when Dumbledore had tracked him down, Harry had disarmed him and stole the Elder Wand before fleeing without a trace.

Dumbledore had spent the next year and a half frantically searching for the wayward youth while simultaneously trying to keep silent the fact that he had disappeared. He had sent agents of the Order of the Phoenix to every corner of Britain and even to mainland Europe in search of Harry. Eventually, word had slipped out somehow that Harry Potter had disappeared. The papers had a field day, clamoring this that and the other over who was responsible for his disappearance and what it would mean for their future. Naturally, word spread to Riddle. The monster had wiped out an entire muggle village in his glee. All that was left of the town was soot and ash. Not even the buildings had remained.

"Are you sure it was him? How was he? Was he healthy?" The rapid fire questions from the Weasley matriarch brought Dumbledore out of his musings of the past just in time to see Fawkes, who had been oddly absent the past few days, fly in through a window and alight onto his perch. Remus and Severus had returned the day before but had insisted on resting before giving their account of their travels.

"He seemed healthy enough," Remus remarked when a sour looking Severus remained quiet. There was something in Remus tone that had raised Dumbledore's curiosity. He had attempted to discover the exact truth of what had happened from the wolf's mind but found himself unable when he came across an impenetrable wall around Remus' mind. "Though he was very adamant about not returning. We likely would've stayed longer and try to convince him if it weren't for certain factors."

"What factors do you speak of?" Dumbledore asked, seeking answers. They had been at this almost all day, rehashing only a few details before Remus and Severus stubbornly refusing to say anymore until all the senior Order members were gathered at the same time so they wouldn't have to keep repeating themselves.

"He would be referring to the five dragons Potter was surrounded by," Severus answered from his place against the wall.

"Dragons?" Dumbledore echoed, going pale and thinking the worst. "Did they… was he…" He was unable to finish the thought, unable to think of the consequences of that line of thinking.

"Hardly," Severus scoffed in annoyance, easily interpreting Dumbledore's unfinished sentences. "The dragons were on his side. If they had not been there then we likely would've been able to force the boy to return whether he wanted to or not."

Before anyone could respond to that shocking revelation, laughter echoed throughout the room, dark, menacing laughter that was filled with mockery, scorn, and hatred. It was the laughter of the bitter and cynical. It was such cold laughter that icicles ran down the spines of everyone in the room and froze them in place, despite their battle hardened instincts telling them to reach for their wands. No one moved as the laughter rolled through the room from an, as of yet, unidentified source.

"Do not think so little of me Severus," a mocking yet strangely familiar voice came from the doorway to Dumbledore's office. "I'd have cut your hands off before you could force me anywhere."

Everyone turned to see an imposing figure standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame, and twirling an elegant dagger in one hand. He had messy hair and the most striking emerald eyes any of them had ever seen. Those eyes were unmistakable and that meant that the figure was none other than the Harry Potter they had been so desperately looking for. While this was surely Harry, he was clearly not the same boy they all remembered. Instead, a cold and callous warrior stood before them. The look in his emerald eyes would have caused even a basilisk to run in terror. Such hatred dwelled within those striking orbs that for one fleeting moment, Dumbledore's heart actually stopped beating.

No one moved and no one breathed. Not even Remus, who was expecting Harry to show up, dared to move an inch. Remus had been expecting Harry to return but he hadn't been expecting this. The hatred that shone clearly from Harry's intimidating figure penetrated everyone but him and he had no idea what to make of it. He had no idea what had caused Harry to feel this way.

"Harry?" Hermione Granger finally dared to whisper. She had joined the Order soon into her sixth year along with Ronald Weasley, much to the protests of the boy's mother. She promptly flinched dramatically when Harry's glare of death shot to her and his face twisted in anger.

"Granger," he said in a cold voice. Hermione looked as if she had been stabbed.

"Harry," Dumbledore said as he rose from his seat. It took all of his skill to project a calm and grandfatherly demeanor. "I'm so…" His voice died in his throat as Harry's stare locked on him and the fires within increased tenfold. Without any knowledge of how it happened, Dumbledore found himself sitting back down in his chair. He tried to move but found that he was unable to do so.

"Dumbledore, Dumbledore, Dumbledore," Harry purred dangerously. He left the doorway and stalked towards the aged man, allowing his weapons to show freely to all. As he passed a chair in front of the fireplace he dragged his dagger along the fabric, hardly even putting pressure on the dagger. The elf made weapon had an edge so fine though that it split the fabric as if it were nothing but water. "How so very fine to see you again." He mocked as he approached the desk and calmly walked around it, dragging his dagger all the while and gouging the fine wood. "How so very fine it is to see my _jailer_."

"Harry, I–" Dumbledore started to say, finally finding his voice. It was cut off again by the point of Harry's dagger that was suddenly pressed against his throat, painfully digging into his skin.

"How many lives have you ruined old man?" Harry asked, his dangerously calm voice reaching every ear in the room. "How many people, in your quest for power and the Hallows, have you killed?" Harry smiled even as Dumbledore grew very pale. "I can name at least seven lives you have destroyed, three of which are in this room. You really should take better care with your pensive when you place that many memories in it." His voice dropped to a low whisper in the man's ear at the end and Dumbledore's eyes grew wide, understanding so many things now. He had placed many vital and important memories, going back almost two decades, into his pensive before the battle at the Ministry so they could not be taken from his mind, leaving only vague facts in their place. Harry, when Dumbledore sent him to his office, must've stumbled upon the pensive during the half an hour before Dumbledore returned.

"Harry, what're you talking about?" Remus asked in confusion. He was the only one in the room that seemed capable of dealing with the display of unbridled fury that Harry was displaying, probably because of his experience with being a werewolf. Even Severus seemed incapable of comprehending Harry's rage and he was a Death Eater.

"Oooo," Harry said dramatically as he squatted next to Dumbledore's throne like chair and almost caressingly dragged the edge of the dagger across Dumbledore's cheek, shaving the man's signature beard. "Not told them have we? Such a pity Albus," Harry could feel the sheer glee and hilarity coming from Scáth as the dragon watched the scene play out through Harry's eyes and it only heightened his fun. "You really shouldn't keep things from your friends."

"Harry, please," Dumbledore practically begged as sweat beaded on his aged brow. He kept struggling to move but found that no matter how hard he fought, he simply could not move anything but his mouth.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk," Harry admonished as he wagged the dagger at Dumbledore like he was an unruly child. "Where shall we begin Albus? Hmmm?" He dragged the dagger over more of the man's face and more hair fell to his lap. He continued before Dumbledore could respond. "Oh I know! Let's start with my fifth year shall we? Then we can work our way back from there." Dumbledore started to open his mouth to plead some more but Sasha, who was a very old, very magical, and very poisonous snake slipped from Harry's cloak to drape across Dumbledore's shoulders and hiss in his ear. She had been around for many, many centuries, almost dating back to the founders, and she did not like Dumbledore any more than Harry did. "I have an idea, Albus. Why don't _you_ tell them what you did that year? After all, I shouldn't be the only one to have so much fun." Harry almost laughed when he heard Scáth rumble in amusement in his head.

"I-I-I-" Dumbledore stuttered, unable to utter any sort of coherent response.

"Go on," Harry encouraged with a look of unholy glee on his face. "Tell them how you knew the Ministry held absolutely no sway over this institution. Tell them that, despite the laws and regulations that the founders themselves put into place to prevent any outside force such as the Ministry from interfering in the school, that you allowed that _bitch_ to run rampant through the halls, _torturing_ the students." Several gasps of astonishment and disbelief came from the Order members in the room. Dumbledore's lip began to quiver. "Tell them that you willingly allowed the students to be subjected to torture because you saw it as the perfect opportunity to keep people distracted, to keep them from noticing what you were really doing that year. TELL THEM!" Harry roared, his fury exploding to the surface and his magic cracking several glass objects in the room. His hand slipped 'accidentally' as he shaved more of that gaudy beard, cutting a nice gash from the man's eye socket to his chin.

"I-I can't," Dumbledore whispered, his voice quivering in fear at Harry's fury and the sheer power that he possessed.

"Weak!" Harry spat as he flicked the dagger, removing more hair and eliciting another gash. "You can set up children to face Death Eaters, set a man up to die, and yet you cannot simply admit the fact! You're weak! Pathetic!" He stood and stretched is legs as he moved to the other side of the chair. "Admit it Albus! I want to hear the words leave your mouth. I want to hear you tell everyone in this room how you set up the entire fiasco at the Ministry. I want to hear you tell them how you _killed_ Sirius." Harry accentuated his point by dangerously digging his dagger into the man's nose.

"Harry," Remus said in confusion. "You were there, we all were. Bellatrix was the one that sent Sirius into the veil."

"She may have cast the curse," Dumbledore said when Harry savagely dug the dagger harder into his nose, almost bisecting his nostril. "But I orchestrated the entire event." Several more gasps sounded throughout the room but Dumbledore continued after another sharp prodding from Harry. "I knew there was a high probability that the Dark Lord would attempt to deceive Harry into retrieving the prophecy for him from the moment he was resurrected."

"Don't leave any details out now," Harry threatened with another twist of his dagger.

"I-I-I needed Black out of the way," Dumbledore admitted his voice still quivering. "He was a threat to my plans concerning Harry and the war. It wasn't hard to convince Kreature to go Bellatrix and Narcissa, the only two other Blacks in existence, and plant the idea of using Sirius to use Harry to retrieve the prophecy through their link and then to injure Buckbeak. Sirius would need to tend to him and then Kreature could imply to Harry when he flooed that Sirius had been captured. I knew that if Harry had gone into danger then Sirius would follow and as I hoped, he got caught in the crossfire."

"You set them up?" Remus whispered in shock. His shock was short lived however as the rage filled wolf side of him roared to the surface. He made to lunge at the half bearded betrayer but Harry snapped out his hand and conjured chains that clamped onto Remus' wrists and attached themselves to the stone floor, effectively halting his progress.

"Sorry Remus," Harry said with a dangerous smile. "But we're not quite finished yet." Absently Harry noted the looks of horror, shock, and outrage of the other Order members in the room. "We still have to discuss me now don't we?" He turned his attention back to Dumbledore. "Do you want to pick where to start Albus or should I?" Harry conjured a stool that was just high enough for him to sit without his threatening demeanor diminishing. He continued without giving the old man time to respond. "Where shall we begin hmm? Let's see… there's the time in first year when you pitted me against a possessed Quirrell just to test my abilities. There's the time in second year when you allowed a very, very dangerous dark artifact to possess Ginny Weasley, and yes I know what exactly that artifact was," he said pointedly to Dumbledore's ever growing amazement. "There's the whole deal with Sirius in third year that we really don't need to get into, yet anyways. We could talk about how you knowingly set me up to compete in the tournament in fourth year, how you knew Moody wasn't really Moody, how you knew he turned the cup into a portkey and knew it was all a plot to get me into Voldemort's clutches so he could return to full power."

"Albus!" McGonagall said in complete shock, too stunned to remain silent. "Is that true?"

"Yes," Dumbledore said, damning himself with that single word.

Harry smiled viciously and continued speaking. "That's not even the worst of it either is it Albus?" He purred as he leaned against Dumbledore's chair, like a child with a toy. "He knew from second year how Voldemort had survived for so long and he did nothing about it. He could've ended this war long before it even began and yet he did _nothing_." Harry decided to mangle what was left of Dumbledore's beard so he absently started cutting it with his dagger. "Still, that's only the tip of the iceberg. We still haven't gotten to how he manipulated Granger and Weasley there into befriending me and then spying on me, reporting back to Dumbledore everything I told them and everything I did." The gasp and choked sob from Weasley and Granger was all the proof anyone needed to the validity of his statement.

"Harry mate," Weasley tried to explain but Harry silenced him with a glare that would've sent Severus running for the hills.

"Then there's still the matter of him bribing those muggles into taking me, knowing full well that they hated everything and anything to do with magic and hoping that they would beat me down so much that I would become his compliant and dotting little slave. Isn't that right Albus?" Harry said as he finished mangling the last bit of his beard. Sasha hissed angrily in front of Dumbledore's eye. "And that's nothing compared to what you did when I was barely a year old."

"He didn't?" This time it was Severus who had spoken, quickly and logically piecing together the path Harry was headed down.

"Oh he did alright," Harry said, fighting the urge to plunge his dagger into the man's decrepit heart. "When he heard the prophecy, which we'll talk about later, he easily concluded which two families could fit the parameters. When Severus came to him claiming that the Dark Lord had targeted me as the one who would be the child of the prophecy he ever so neatly put everything into place. He easily convinced Sirius to convince James to use Peter, whom Albus here knew was a Death Eater, to be secret keeper." Harry couldn't help it and flicked his dagger, cutting a long gash from Dumbledore's ear to his already bloodied nose. "He set them up to die simply so he could have his little weapon against the Dark Lord and kept his mouth shut when Sirius was sent to prison since that so neatly kept him from taking custody of me. Albus here was also one of two witnesses to my parents will, which stipulated a list of people meant to take care of me should Sirius prove unable. He obliviated the other witness and had the will sealed." Here he looked directly at Remus who was kneeling with tears in his eyes. "Is it any wonder why I finally ran away from it all?"

"How could you!" Remus demanded angrily as he struggled against Harry's chains.

"It was easy for him," Harry explained for the mute and unmasked Headmaster. "He sought power and fame and every move he made was designed to make him look all the greater. His defeat of Grindelwald, whom he had once conspired with to seek out the Deathly Hallows and to dominate the Wizarding World, and then his part in this most recent war, gave him so much prestige that he easily had the Minister in his pocket. Then he could sit on the sidelines, posing as the Headmaster of Hogwarts, while simultaneously moving the world towards his own goals." Harry stood and gestured for Sasha to return to his own shoulders. She hissed menacingly before complying. Covertly he dropped the dagger into its sheath, which was concealed in his boot.

"The Deathly Hallows are nothing more than myths," Kingsley scoffed, trying to disregard the damning accusations levied at the man they had all followed so blindly for so many years.

Harry stared blankly at the man as he reached to his waist and pulled the Elder Wand from Bhuailteoir. "If one exists so too do they all." He showed the wand to everyone present. "The Elder Wand has always been widely known, even to those who do not follow wand lore. The cloak has been in my possession for years now. The only one that remains unknown is the Resurrection Stone."

Harry went over to Remus and helped him to his feet and banishing the chains. The werewolf made to lunge at Dumbledore but Harry held him back. He wasn't as strong as the wolf yet but his time spent as a Rider had increased his strength from what it had once been, not to mention the months of surviving in the wild and fighting in a war. Harry wrestled with Remus, slowly making their way towards the door, leaving Dumbledore to deal with the consequences of his actions and looking like some sort of half mauled animal.


	9. Chapter 9: Reintegration

**Disclaimer:** Other than my OCs I own nothing

**A/N: **Ok so the holidays have been especially nice in regards to me getting some writing done so I give you the next update :) enjoy and let me know what you think!

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CHAPTER NINE: REINTEGRATION

"Enough Remus," Harry said calmly but forcefully as he struggled with the wolf down the moving staircase from Dumbledore's office. "He does not deserve death and he is not worth the price of such an act." When Remus still did not calm down Harry was forced to cast a powerful calming charm on the wolf.

"How can you say he does not deserve death?" Remus demanded, still very angry but the spell had drained most of his ire and he had stopped resisting Harry as he led the wolf down the hallways.

"Because that would be far too easy a punishment for what he has done," Harry explained calmly, retaining a firm grip on Remus' bicep. "I assure you that the man will get his due for his crimes but death is not the answer and I refuse to allow you to kill someone who is beneath you."

Harry's statement had stunned Remus slightly and he remained in silent contemplation all the way out of the castle. They made their way across the grounds towards Hagrid's hut. The half giant was still outside of his hut and gawking at Scáth, who was calmly munching on a haunch of whatever meat Hagrid had given him. Harry couldn't help but chuckle slightly at Hagrid. The man was absolutely obsessed with dragons and obviously couldn't get over the fact that he had the opportunity to be so close to one without being eaten or burned. When Harry and Remus got close enough, Harry suggested they all go inside and have a much-needed drink. Hagrid readily agreed and Remus, still angry and mournful from reopened wounds, did not deny that a drink would be welcome.

_It's sad really,_ Harry remarked to Scáth as he sat at Hagrid's giant table and watched the other two drink themselves into a stupor, recounting old and happy times. He had only a few sips of his drink but didn't really plan on going any further than that, he had things to do and the late hour, just past midnight, would be a good time to do some of them. _Barely seventeen and caught up in two different wars._

_I am nearing only one and caught up in those same wars,_ Scáth reminded him though he understood Harry's point.

_Aye, but the young should not have to clean up such problems that the old create,_ Harry lamented as he stealthily left the hut when Remus and Hagrid had passed out from too much alcohol. It was nearing two in the morning and Harry could hear the minds of the Order members in the castle clamoring and demanding answers from Dumbledore. _People should clean up their own messes and leave others alone, at least in matters such as this. The young should be able to grow up in peace without knowing the travesties of war. _

_They do,_ Scáth said sadly, as he followed Harry to the forest's edge. _Only when war is not present in the land they grow up in._

Harry sighed but could not refute the truth in Scáth's statement. Putting the matter from his mind, Harry focused on what he wanted to do. In Dumbledore's office, Harry had tested whether or not working magic in the ancient language would actually work in this world and while it had worked, he was still unsure if what he wanted to do would actually work. Still, one would only find out if they tried. He had only just begun to practice singing to plants like the elves did but Oromis had commented that he had a talent for it and Harry knew all the words in the ancient language that he would need. Harry allowed his mind to envelope the slow, pulsating awareness of the pines of the Forbidden Forest, focusing on a group of five trees.

Slowly and rhythmically, he began singing in the ancient language, elegantly, beautifully. A silent wind blew across the grounds and the five trees Harry was singing to began to sway under his urging. As Oromis had taught him, Harry didn't use just his or Scáth's energy to feed the spell but the trees as well. They were centuries old and so could withstand the small amounts Harry took to fuel the spell. The branches began twitching and moving in ways they should not be capable of doing. The bark of the trunks just under where the branches started smoothing out and in several places broke away to reveal polished wood. The trees continued to move and sway under the urgings of Harry spell, even going so far as to expand to connect with the other trees. A tremor ran the length of the tree nearest Harry and the bark began to meld into the tree's base, forming a door leading to a set of stairs.

The whole process took up the next three hours. Usually it would've taken quite a bit longer to grow a tree house out of trees like the elves did but the increased strength and energy that Scáth experienced at night and when he was in a darkened area helped to speed up the process immensely. When Harry finished singing, a house worthy of any elf in Alagaësia sat at the top of the trees, cleverly designed so that you had to be standing right beneath it to see it and the stairs carved into the center of the tree on the edge of the forest. Harry, though completely exhausted from his magical singing, forced himself to climb the stairs while Scáth took to the air so he could enter through the large teardrop portal and into the bedroom.

The tree house was almost an exact replica of the one the elves had given him in Ellesméra. There were some natural variations of course, different spell weaver, different house, but on the whole, it was pretty much the same. It had a second story which would be Harry's study and the first floor consisted of the bedroom, bath, and a dining room, though he doubted he'd be using that last. Despite having used five trees, the tree house wasn't any larger than the one he had in Ellesméra. The only reason he had used so many was because the pines here weren't as thick as the ones in Ellesméra and they allowed Harry to use less energy than it would've taken to grow the house out of a single tree.

Once he made it all the way to the top, Harry quickly conjured a thick mattress to fill the low rim bowl so Scáth could lie down comfortably. While Scáth got comfortable, Harry divulged himself of his pack and the bulk of his clothing, leaving on only his pants. He then took a few minutes to remove the fur saddle from Scáth's back. Then he grabbed his swords and promptly collapsed onto the mattress next to his dragon and went straight to sleep, exhausted from the day's events and the late hour.

–Scene Break–

Harry slept long, deep, and hard but since it was almost four in the morning by the time he finally got to sleep, that meant he wasn't granted a full night's sleep, as he would've preferred. At nine in the morning, two hours after the denizens of Hogwarts had awakened; Harry was awoken by a very annoying buzzing. It wasn't any sort of alarm, he had not set one, but it was insistent and growing more agitated. Harry and Scáth both groaned in annoyance and tried to ignore the nuisance but it was not to be. Eventually, Harry managed to drag himself out of his sleep enough to try to identify the source of the calamity that was keeping him from sleep. After a few seconds he realized the sound was coming from within his own mind and a few minutes after that he realized that it wasn't a noise but rather the agitation of someone's thoughts. A few more minutes of investigation revealed that the mind in question belonged to Remus. The werewolf was starting to fear that Harry had vanished again since he and Scáth were nowhere to be seen.

_Calm your thoughts Remus,_ Harry grumbled mentally when he had made contact with the other mind. _I have not gone anywhere. I am merely sleeping._

Remus' surprise at the unexpected mental communication cut off his panicked and rambling thoughts. _But where?_ He asked eventually. _I figured you'd be either in Hagrid's hut or with your dragon._

Harry's only response was to impart an image of Remus walking towards the forest and the tree that was the only one with a stairwell to access the tree house. Curiosity emanated from Remus but Harry was already fading back into sleep. He quickly snapped out of it though when Remus' voice suddenly sounded very close to him. Harry couldn't process much of what the man was saying but he gathered Remus was exclaiming his shock over the magnificence of the tree house. He wanted to go back to sleep but he realized that such a task would quickly become impossible.

"I see you're suffering no problems from last night," Harry grumbled as he sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

"Hangover potions do work wonders," Remus commented with a smirk as he stood in the middle of the barren room, marveling at the craftsmanship of the tree house. Harry may have been able to recreate the house but he couldn't grow the contents, which meant that there was currently nothing in the room aside from the fireplace and the bed he and Scáth were laying on. Harry glared at the cheery wolf but Remus hardly noticed, too enraptured by the marvel he was standing in. "What spell did you use to build this?"

"No spell you know or can use," Harry answered through a yawn as he slipped on his boots and tunic before leading Remus out of the tree house while belting on his swords. "And I didn't build it, I grew it." Scáth remained behind to continue sleeping. Having fed the previous night and being unable to fit in the castle there was no reason for him to leave the tree house.

"Something you learned in that other world?" Remus asked in amazement as he walked beside Harry towards the castle. At Harry's nod he continued. "Well, however you managed it, I am impressed. It's easily concealed and almost completely unnoticeable. You'd have to be standing right under it and looking straight up to notice. I assume you built that because of your dragon?"

"Aye," Harry said through another yawn as he entered the castle and made his way down to the kitchens to beg food from the elves. "Scáth cannot fit within Hogwarts' walls and I will not sleep somewhere where he cannot and I did not fancy sleeping out in the open again."

"Won't you get battered by the weather all the same though?" Remus inquired as he sipped the tea the house elves had given him while simultaneously eyeing the vegetarian meal Harry had requested.

Harry just shook his head as he dug into his meal with a relish. In his opinion, nothing, in all the worlds, in all the dimensions, in all the plains, in all the realms, nothing was as good as the food at Hogwarts and he had missed it more than he realized. As he ate, Harry explained how the spells that were woven into the song and tree house, though he didn't phrase it like that, were designed to protect against the elements and how he would be taking other precautions. He then prompted Remus into giving him a more in depth overview of the past ten years and the war. Remus was hesitant at first but the more he talked the firmer his voice became. The wolf explained to Harry how once the world had found out that he had vanished, much of magical Britain's society had fled to different countries. Those that had stayed were either loyal to Voldemort or Dumbledore or simply unafraid or over confident. The most difficult part for Remus to talk about was the two yearlong campaign Voldemort had launched in sheer pleasure over thinking he had triumphed over Harry at the Ministry. Apparently, he had almost completely eradicated the Ministry as a result.

"Almost thirteen years to do something about this war," Harry gripped with an annoyed sigh as he and Remus made their way from the kitchens after Harry had left orders with the elves to leave a morning meal and an evening meal in his tree house. "Yet he did nothing but sit back, watch, and manipulate." Absently, Harry tucked his unruly hair behind one ear and fingered the slight point. They weren't as prominent as any natural born elf's yet but they were no longer rounded. His eyebrows were also much more slanted than they had been, making him look more feline than human.

"Fancy ears Potter," came a familiar drawl that hadn't graced Harry's ears in over a year. "Had to go and make yourself look different I see? Couldn't live with just being famous?"

Harry heard Scáth grumble in his head but paid it no mind. The dragon knew that Harry took no real offence. "And I see you've had a change of heart in my absence Malfoy," Harry retorted aloud as he turned to face the blond that he had never really considered his enemy. "Or rather, finally stopped toeing to the public image." Then, to really put a stopper in the blonds' snide remarks that were likely to come, added, "Perhaps one day, you will regale me with what happened to make you stop hiding behind the masks you kept in place to deceive the public." The only evidence that Harry had startled Malfoy was the raising of a single eyebrow. "Time marches on Malfoy," he called as he continued down the hall towards where the Order members were gathered in the teachers' lounge. "And it changes everything."

"Correct me if I'm wrong," Remus said as they walked. "But I thought you two hated each other?"

Harry smiled and tossed a wink at the werewolf. "I can't vouch for him but I only ever put energy into the rivalry to keep up with the façade of the Gryffindor Golden-boy who hated Slytherins."

Remus started laughing but further comments were prevented as they entered the lounge. Everyone soon stopped their conversations as they realized who had entered the room. All eyes tracked Harry's progress as he made his way to one of the only empty seats at the large and long table that took up the center of the room. It took all of Harry's will power not to smirk at the dejected and battered form of Dumbledore, sitting a few seats down from the head of the table where McGonagall sat. No doubt, the old man had once held the prestigious position but after the forced unveiling Harry had done the previous night, the other Order members had demanded he relinquish his role. Harry also noted with no small amount of satisfaction that no one had healed his wounds, leaving him a half shaved and almost mutilated wretch.

"I'm happy you decided to join us Harry," McGonagall said in a friendly and respectful tone as Remus sat himself in the seat next to Harry and refusing to look in Dumbledore's direction. Harry assumed that the only reason the man was still even in the castle was because he was a skilled fighter.

"Yes, well, I would be remiss if I didn't learn more of my enemies." Harry responded as Malfoy walked into the room and took his own seat.

"Fair enough," McGonagall conceded and then began the meeting.

The hours began slipping by as everyone discussed the latest Death Eater movements and what little intelligence they had been able to gather about Voldemort's plans. Since Severus' position as a spy had been compromised, a real shocker to Harry, they no longer had someone in the inner circle and had to glean from the lower ranking minions. There wasn't much really but they did know that a raid was being planned for some time next week but when and where they had been unable to gather. It truly was rather pathetic and Harry vowed that once he returned to his tree house he would scry the mutated freak and learn what was really going on. He would be next to useless if they didn't have any real information about the enemies and his time here would only be extended, fighting useless skirmishes.

"Do we know where their base of operations is?" Harry questioned near the end of the meeting. He had been silent throughout most of the meeting, simply observing, listening, and learning what he could. Therefore, most of the members were surprised when he spoke up.

"He has taken over Malfoy Manor," Malfoy said sourly. "Though we suspect that he has another base as well as there were times when my father would be summoned elsewhere."

"Probably Riddle Manor," Harry said, mostly to himself, though everyone in the room heard him clearly.

"Why do I know that name?" Granger asked with only the slightest hint of apprehension in her voice.

Harry didn't even bother to glare at her, too busy contemplating other things. "The diary in second year." He answered vaguely. "Tom Riddle is Voldemort and it would stand to reason that he would use the manor to hold meetings since not only did he use it once before but it is rightfully his by inheritance."

"Riddle is no surname of any pureblood wizarding family I know of," Malfoy spoke up, doubting Harry's words.

Harry chuckled darkly. "That's because it isn't," he said. "It's a muggle name. Riddle was never a pureblood, as he would have everyone believe. Isn't that right,_ professor_?" Harry laid heavy sarcasm on the last word as he directed the question at Dumbledore. The man rightly flinched.

"Be that as it may," McGonagall said, intervening before the meeting could be sidetracked. "What does that have to do with anything and how does it help us with the war?" Her voice said that she doubted the relevance of Harry's segue but wasn't about to shut him down either.

"Do you want to tell them Albus, or should I?" Harry questioned as he leaned back in his chair and played with the pummel of his sword while eyeing Dumbledore dangerously.

"Voldemort is indeed, Tom Riddle," Dumbledore began hesitantly. A stern glare from Harry caused him to flinch and continue on with what Harry wanted him to say. "He also has Horcruxes spread throughout Britain and the only clues we might have to finding them, lay in his past." Severus and Malfoy, the two dark dabblers in the room, sucked in their breath at the mention of the extremely dark objects.

"For those of you who don't know," Harry said to the confused faces in the room. "A Horcrux is an object that houses a piece of a person's soul. It is how and why he survived for thirteen years as nothing more than a wraith. Dumbledore here, found this out in second year after one such object wreaked havoc on the school by opening the Chamber of Secrets."

"But you destroyed that diary," Weasley spoke up, confusion evident in his voice. Harry had to bite his tongue not to make a snide remark. "How could he have returned if the piece of his soul was destroyed?"

"Obviously, there's more than one," Granger answered before Harry could.

"And you knew about this!" Severus demanded as he rounded on Dumbledore. "You knew they existed and you allowed him to return!" The defeated look on Dumbledore's face was all the answer anyone needed and they all started glaring death at him for allowing their lives to delve into war.

"I think," McGonagall said sternly as she stared at Dumbledore like a lioness would watch its prey. "That this meeting is over. Let us all get some food and rest and we'll continue with this tomorrow."

_All talk and no action,_ Harry grumbled silently as he made his way out of the room among the other members.

_It's a wonder how they ever get anything done,_ Scáth replied from his perch in their tree house.

Harry was about to agree but got distracted. "Harry!" Someone called. He looked over his shoulder to see Granger chasing after him from farther down the hall. Weasley wasn't far behind, less eager for the confrontation Granger was begging from Harry.

"What'd you want Granger?" He asked coldly, not slowing in the slightest as he made his way onto the grounds.

"Harry please!" Granger pleaded as she struggled to keep up with Harry's fast pace. "Just hear us out."

"Not exactly sowing your mouths shut, am I?" Harry remarked snidely, still not slowing as he made his way towards the Forbidden Forest. "Then again, why should I listen to lying backstabbing spies that used me for their own gain?"

Granger faltered briefly but she had been placed in Gryffindor for a reason. "Harry please! You don't understand."

"Oh?" Harry said as he disappeared into the tree line. Granger and Weasley stopped in confusion when Harry vanished completely from sight but Harry's continuing voice quickly led them to the tree with the stairs. "Do tell me how one misunderstands it when he discovers that his two first and closest friends have been manipulated into being said friends and have been reporting every detail of their life to someone else."

By the time Harry had finished speaking; Weasley and Granger had started up the steps in curious wonder and had come to stand in the vestibule of the tree house. Just as Remus had, they stared in absolute wonder at the beautiful structure. Never before had this world witnessed such structures and by rights such a thing should be impossible to build. The walls were smooth and seamless. The doors were intricately carved with designs of trees and vines and the ceiling was comprised of branches that not only protected against the weather but provided a nice view of the sky for star gazing at night.

Granger quickly shook off her amazement though and dragged Weasley through the only open door only to come up short, this time in terror. Harry was sitting at a conjured table and chair eating his dinner but that wasn't what had them quivering in fear. No what had them quivering in fear was the large, black dragon that was comfortably dozing in his roost that Harry was sitting next to. It really was quite an amazing sight and one that neither had ever expected to see in their entire lives.

"H-harry," Granger whispered nervously as she clutched tightly to her husband's arm. "Where did that dragon come from?"

"Scáth is none of your concern," Harry said firmly and with a dangerous edge to his voice. "Now, are you going to tell me what I seem incapable of understanding or are you going to leave me to eat my meal in peace?"

"You named the thing!" Weasley said in shock, never one to have control over his mouth. Scáth's eyes snapped open and zeroed in on the redhead.

_I am not some ill mannered beast, fledgling,_ Scáth declared with an ominous growl as he lifted his head. _I suggest you keep that in mind before you make another comment such as that._ Weasley promptly fainted and Granger, who heard the words as well, looked well on her way to following him but she managed to retain consciousness, though she remained rooted on the spot. Satisfied that his point had been made, Scáth dipped his head and snatched up a few morsels from Harry's plate before laying his head back down onto his front claws.

"I didn't know dragons could speak," Granger said tentatively, still very pale.

Scáth snorted, emitting a grey plume of smoke, even as Harry answered. "I cannot vouch for the dragons of the world but Scáth does." He paused as he picked apart a raspberry, chuckling at how Oromis' tendencies had rubbed off of him. "I doubt you followed me up here to talk about my dragon, Granger."

"No," Granger said, the sound of her surname spoken by someone who had once been her friend and in such a cold tone snapped her out of her stupor. "I followed you here to try and explain everything."

"I would love to know why Hermione Granger, the smartest witch of her year and cleverest person many people will ever meet, threw proper reasoning to the wind and betrayed her friend." Harry's callous listing of titles she had once pride herself on, along with the all too true accusation, had cause her to flinch.

"It wasn't like that," she pleaded, growing desperate again. "We thought we were helping you."

"Oh I'd love to hear the reasoning behind that," Harry responded snidely as he downed the last of his pumpkin juice. The minute he put his goblet down the dishes vanished, whisked away by the house elves. "Harry Potter stabbed in the back for his own safety. Pithy." He added as he picked up his pack and made his way up the stairs to the study.

"Harry," Granger sighed, getting exasperated. She followed Harry up the stairs, both of them ignoring the unconscious form on the floor. "Listen, I can't speak for Ron but Dumbledore didn't approach me until our second year, after we were friends and after the school turned against you for being a Parselmouth." She paused as Harry conjured a desk in the middle of the room, then a large and comfy looking arm chair, followed by a full sized stand alone mirror. She continued when Harry sat down and started pulling scrolls from his pack. "He just wanted to make sure I stuck by you and didn't start believing in all the rumors that were floating around."

"Uh huh," Harry said, unconvinced, though his ire towards her had abated slightly. The encounter she spoke of was the earliest he had seen of her and Dumbledore in the fool's pensive and had merely assumed there were prior meetings like there had been between him and Weasley. "And the going to him during third, fourth, and fifth year and reporting on my emotional state and other such things? Got a justification for that?"

Granger hesitated briefly as Scáth crawled in through the opening in the far wall. Harry conjured another thick mattress for an identical nest in the floor to the one below. "We were concerned about you Harry. A murderer on the loose, the tournament, everything that happened in fifth year; with all those things going on, can you really blame us for being concerned?"

"No," Harry conceded and then viscously ripped the small smile that was spreading across Granger's face. "But I can blame you for not simply asking me and for disrespecting my privacy when I didn't confide in you how I was feeling or what I was thinking." Granger attempted to make another plea for him to see her side of thing but Harry held up his hand to silence her. "I will disregard the memory I saw of Dumbledore and you conversing during second year. I did not know the full context of that memory and I admit fault for jumping to conclusions. However, I cannot disregard the violation to my privacy you made past that initial meeting. If you wish for our previous friendship to continue, you will have to earn back my trust. Until then, you are no more than an acquaintance to me, though I will not be as robust as I was. Weasley though, will not be able to regain my friendship as I have memories of Dumbledore going to him and Molly long before he and I ever met and persuaded both of the 'importance' of accepting me into their family. Now, if you please," he gestured to the door behind her, politely requesting for her to leave and indicating the conversation closed. "I have work to do."

Granger sighed sadly but recognized the opportunity she had been given and quit while she was ahead. She left the room and then the tree house all together after waking up Weasley in the room below. Harry sighed heavily and rubbed his face before conjuring a quill and some ink and turning his attention to the many scrolls in front of him. He felt that Scáth wanted to make a comment but the dragon tactfully remained silent as Harry started reading one of the many scrolls Oromis had given, one on the history of Alagaësia. Harry devoured the lengthy scroll for almost two hours before moving on to practice the Liduen Kvaedhí, the poetic script the elves used to convey the ancient language to its fullest. He copied words, learned new ones, and studied the scrolls for almost five hours and by the time he stopped it was only an hour before midnight.

_Do you want to go flying? _Harry asked, despite his weariness.

Scáth shifted on his mattress to get more comfortable. _It would be nice but you need a full nights rest. Sleep. We will enjoy the skies tomorrow._ Harry smiled at the care in Scáth's voice as he stripped and curled up against the dragon's warm and scaly side.

Unfortunately, for both Rider and Dragon, the night was far from peaceful. The first few hours were fine but about an hour before down, just before Scáth and Harry wanted to wake up, Harry's dreams were disturbed by a vision. He hadn't experienced one in over a year so he was caught off guard and didn't realize he was having a vision until it was in full swing. He found himself sitting in a decorative ballroom with a long table set into the middle. Several figures, many whom Harry recognized, sat along both sides of the table. Harry didn't have to bother guessing where he was or what was going on but he knew he didn't want to be here; too many things were at risk for him to linger. Slowly and very cautiously, Harry tried to retreat from the vision as one of the Death Eaters began to report on something or another; he honestly wasn't concerned with that at the moment.

His surroundings started to fade and Harry was almost free when that cold, high laughter echoed in his mind. He froze like a deer caught in the headlights, as the muggle phrase goes, and waited, as tense as a spring.

"So, the chosen one has returned," Voldemort's condescending and slithery voice sounded. "How nice of you to drop by."

Gathering his nerve, Harry responded. "I'm glad to have pleased you so Tom. Truly your approval means everything to me."

"I see ten years has done nothing to curb your tongue." Voldemort snarled, suddenly angry.

"And ten years has done nothing to curb your anger or give you any semblance of a brain," Harry taunted, baiting his trap.

"Fool!" Voldemort roared, always quick to anger. "I am the greatest wizard that has ever lived! The entire world trembles at my feet!"

Harry snickered mockingly. "And you think that makes you great? That just makes you stupid and incompetent."

As expected, Voldemort became enraged and launched a mental assault at Harry… only to get slammed by Scáth's indomitable mental presence. With one mighty sweep of his mental claws, Voldemort was sent reeling back, severely wounded. Harry and Scáth quickly fled back to their own minds before Voldemort could recover. Harry's eyes snapped open. He was panting and drenched in a cold sweat. He quickly rolled out of bed and went over to the mirror he had conjured earlier. With a few quick words in the ancient language, an image of the very ballroom he had just seen was splayed out on the mirror. A few more words and he was listening as the Death Eaters, particularly Bellatrix Lestrange, eyed their master in confusion and worry, as Voldemort was hunched over and clutching his head. Only Bellatrix was brave enough to voice her concern for Voldemort and she earned herself a round of torture under the Cruciatus for her trouble.

_We might be able to use this to our advantage in real battle,_ Scáth remarked as he watched the scene play out, disgusted at the display of cruelty. _If he is so easily goaded, then we could use that to maneuver him into a favorable position. _

Harry listened for a few moments while Voldemort started ranting and raving and casting the occasional curse, dropping a Death Eater in either pain or death. _It is an option worth exploring but do not be so easily convinced. Voldemort's greatest strength lies in his unpredictability. _He paused to listen more intently when Voldemort demanded his followers leave and hunt down anyone with information about Harry's whereabouts. _As he just demonstrated. I would bet money that the attack the Order believes is scheduled for next week, won't happen anymore. He won't allow this slight to go unchallenged. He'll hunt me now and with a passion. Perhaps, if we can keep his focus on us then he will spend less time organizing assaults against the muggles._

_A tricky line to walk,_ Scáth said though he didn't disagree with the thought. Harry let the spell fade a few minutes after the last Death Eater had left since all Voldemort had been doing was sitting there and clutching his head, obviously very badly wounded by Scáth's strike. _Though one that might be necessary._

_We'll see but for now, let us set aside such things and enjoy the starry skies before the day must begin._ Harry said as he got dressed properly and belted on his swords.

Scáth chuckled and stood up and shook the weariness from his limbs. Once Harry was seated properly on his shoulders, Scáth leaped out into the stillness of the early morning hours and snapped his wings open. A few powerful flaps quickly pushed them higher into the air above Hogwarts. The eastern horizon was just barely beginning to show signs of sunrise and the stars still shone brilliantly in the sky. After performing a few acrobats that Glaedr taught him, Scáth merely glided on silent wings, enjoying the time alone with Harry. Being in the air together brought peace to their frantic morning thoughts. The two relaxed into each other's presence as they glided endlessly on the winds above the castle but never straying beyond the boundaries.

Sadly, it all seemed to end too soon. When the sun was halfway above the horizon, Scáth landed near a tree by the lake that had once been Harry's favorite. Harry lingered, hugging Scáth's neck, before dismounting and prepared to perform the Rimgar as he usually did while under Oromis' tutelage. This was actually the one thing that he hadn't been fairly advanced in concerning his studies as a Rider but he didn't mind. It gave him something to strive after since everything else seemed to come so easily. Harry unstrapped his swords and stripped off his tunic and set them against the tree. He then began to move slowly through the first level of the Rimgar, which wasn't that difficult. The first level consisted mostly of stretching and warming up. The second was where things got difficult and one's flexibility started being tested. While Harry did his exercises, Scáth retook to the air and headed towards the mountains to perform his own training where he wouldn't be disturbed.

When Harry was about half way through the second level, his body coated in sweat, and had been trying to cross his legs behind his head for at least fifteen minutes, Harry finally ceased his exercising. Despite his desire to bathe, he didn't want to make endless trips back and forth from his tree house so he just sat cross-legged underneath the tree and began meditating as Oromis had instructed him. Since Harry had already succeeded in achieving the initial point of the meditative exercise, which was monitoring the minds around him without becoming too absorbed in any one single mind, the only point in Harry meditating was to perfect the art. Harry made sure to keep his mind from extending into the forest or the lake that stretched out before him. There were too many magical creatures in both that would register his mental intrusion and several would not be very happy about it.

As he meditated, Harry slowly stored energy in the black diamond that was set into Bhuailteoir's pummel. Along with his own energy he used snippets from the plants around him, mostly the trees on the outer edges of the forest and the one he was under but he also included miniscule amounts from small plants and insects. Oromis had divulged the highly protected secret to Harry one night when he had unexpectedly shown up at Harry's tree house two weeks after they had shown up in Ellesméra. The old elf had expressed to Harry that the secret was very dangerous if miss used and was only divulging it because not only was Harry advanced in his studies but because Oromis and Glaedr had deemed him trustworthy and an honorable person. Harry had been touched by the show of trust in him, few people ever had. Already, Harry had amassed a decent reservoir of energy, enhanced slightly by the energy Scáth contributed upon occasion.

About forty-five minutes later, a well-shielded mind approached the edge of the forest and interrupted Harry's meditations. He didn't have to open his eyes to know what had appeared on the edge of the forest. There was only one creature from the forest that he could think of that would have a mind so similar to a human's yet so very alien. Harry cracked open an eye and looked to the forest's edge to see who exactly it was that was standing there. Standing just inside the tree line was a chestnut centaur that Harry recognized from a year ago, well a year to him, when he had been forced at wand point by that wretched woman. The centaur, Magorian Harry remembered, was staring directly at Harry. Knowing the fickle nature of centaurs and the dislike that this particular one had for humans, Harry closed his eyes and resumed his meditating, avoiding the shielded mind as he stored more energy.

"You are not as you should be," the expected deep baritone voice sounded a few minutes later, expected as Harry had noticed the mind growing closer.

"Never have I been," Harry responded, not opening his eyes and with a slight note of agitation in his voice. "And never shall I be so long as I remain in this war ravaged world."

Harry, who hadn't bothered to open his eyes, heard the shuffling of hooves as Magorian shifted his stance. "You are Harry Potter correct?"

"And you are Magorian," Harry answered as he opened his eyes and stood, seeing no point in further meditation as Magorian seemed intent on holding a conversation. "It is a pleasure to meet you." He continued politely with a respectful bow. Magorian eyed him in surprise.

"The stars had preordained that the wizard war be ended by now," Magorian said, apparently deciding to ignore the strange and respectful greeting Harry had offered. "Yet it rages on."

"The fault of many people," Harry explained as he picked up his shirt and swords. "And the stars may be accurate but they are not set into stone. The fates can intervene when they wish and alter events, which they have done so."

"Wise words from one who should be twenty five but is only seventeen," Magorian responded with his calculating eyes. "Your exile took you to strange lands and you have learned stranger knowledge."

Harry scratched the slight stubble on his face as he answered. "I apologize if my house has violated the lines of your territory. Being on the edge, I did not think it would be a problem." He started towards the forest at a slow pace, Magorian following.

"You are a curious human," Magorian said with a neighing chuckle. "Your house has posed no problems other than it has incited great curiosity in many of the forests denizens. None have seen the magic you performed before and many, particularly we centaurs, are interested how you performed the feat. Being the chief, I came to investigate."

"I understand your curiosity but the answers you seek are not answers I can give. Much in the way the secrets of the centaurs remain the secrets of the centaurs; my secrets need to remain my secrets." Harry hoped that by playing to the secretive nature of the centaurs he could avoid an argument with the tetchy race.

"Reasonable," Magorian said after a few minutes of thoughts. "And very cunning of you." Harry had no choice but to grin at that comment.

"Forgive me Magorian," Harry said when they had reached the forest. "But you seem more… peaceable, shall we say, than the last time we met. If I recall, you were all for killing me then."

Magorian made a baying laugh but Harry heard a slight hint of nervousness to it. "That was a different time, in a different era." Without further explanation, Magorian walked off into the depths of the forest.

Harry just shook his head at the enigmatic creature and made his way up the stairs to his tree house. Once inside, he stripped his clothing and took a nice warm bath, washing the sweat and grime from his limbs and shaving the stubble that had accumulated on his face. He always hated the feel of facial hair and had more than once fantasized about devising a spell that would cease its growth all together so he didn't have to bother shaving anymore. He likely would have done it if only he was positive that the only effects of the spell would be the permanent removal of only the hair that comprised a mustache and beard. As it was, he couldn't be certain that it would remove all the hair from his entire body, including his head and making him look like some giant bald baby.

When he finished with his bath and he was dressed in clean clothes, Harry made his way up the stairs to his study where he sat down at his desk. He pulled over some parchment and ink and then again cast the spell for scrying. An image of Voldemort once again appeared on the mirror. He seemed to have recovered from the encounter during the vision. He was currently in the process of torturing a Death Eater and from the screams, Harry discerned that it was because he had failed to deliver proper news of Harry's whereabouts. Once the torture session had ended, Voldemort demanded another Death Eater to report. This one too failed to give a favorable report and was subjected to another round of torture.

Harry had yet to write anything down, as there hadn't been anything of importance said, and he did his best to block out the tortured cries. His ears perked up there when Voldemort started speaking in a dangerous hiss.

"Since it appears none of you can find a single _boy_," the man said and even though it was just an image, the voice still sent shivers down Harry's spine. "I will flush him out myself. Lucius!"

"Y-yes milord," the blond man quivered at being the sudden attention of his master's ire. Lucius was a far cry from the man Harry remembered. His once lustrous white hair had dulled and his alabaster skin was now grey and marked by several lines of stress and worry. Dark circles, almost black, marked countless sleepless nights, likely due to hours of torture.

"You and six others will locate the boy's muggle relatives and bring them to me, tonight," Voldemort demanded, leaving no room for argument. "And they had better be here by sunset or you will not live to see the sun again." Riddle then went about detailing to the other members of the inner circle another piece of his plan. Harry knew that Voldemort wouldn't divulge the entirety of his plan, even enraged the man was too wily for that.

Once he could gather no more useful information from the session, Harry altered the scrying spell to locate his wretched relatives. He had no desire to save the bastards but that didn't mean he wasn't going to throw a wrench into Voldemort's plans. When the image finally cleared, Harry was flabbergasted to see that the fools remained in the same house. Vernon had likely adamantly refused to budge because of the 'freakishness' that had been going on. Shaking his head at the idiot's stupidity, Harry ended the spell and quickly made his way from the tree house and across the lawn towards the castle. He had just entered the doors when he bumped into Remus.

"Harry?" The wolf cried in shock.

"Come on," Harry said in way of greeting as he grabbed Remus' arm and started dragging him down the hallway. "You're coming with me."

"Where to?" Remus asked in bewilderment, startled by Harry's actions.

"To the Order meeting you were fetching me for," the answer only served to startle Remus even more and he could only uttered fractured words. "Good, you're all here," Harry said a few minutes later when he and Remus entered the staff room where the meeting was being held.

"Is something wrong Harry?" McGonagall asked, noting with curiosity the air of haste that surrounded Harry.

"I wouldn't necessarily say wrong," Harry said with a touch of mischievousness to his voice. "But we do have very little time in which to act." Before anyone could say anything, Harry handed McGonagall his notes and continued. "Voldemort has learned of my returned presence and has planned a way to try and flush me out since none of his followers can locate me. As we speak, Lucius and six other Death Eater's, are hunting my muggle relatives, who have stupidly decided to remain in the same house."

"How did you come by this information?" Severus questioned both doubtfully and curiously, noting the stunned expression on McGonagall's face as she read Harry's dictation of the meeting.

"By spying on a Death Eater meeting of course," Harry said as if it should've been obvious. He was about to continue but he was cut off by Draco.

"Impossible," he said in disbelief. "There's no way you could have snuck into Malfoy manor and even if you could have, no way you could spy on a meeting without being noticed."

Harry smirked deviously. "I didn't say I went to the meeting, I said I spied on it." Several of the Order members looked confused but Harry continued before they could. "Now, if we move quickly, we can give the snake faced bastard reason to respect this Order again."

"And how would you suggest that?" Kingsley demanded, still angry over Harry's complete mutilation of Dumbledore's image. "Why should we even trust you? Ten years you abandoned–" he never got past that word as he was cut off by Harry's dangerous voice.

"Abandoned?" He said in a snarling voice that sent shivers of dread down everyone's spine and Kingsley suddenly felt very small. "Do not make the mistake that I owe anyone here my allegiance Shacklebolt. My roll in that wretched prophecy was fulfilled the day that man," Harry thrust a violent finger at the still marred Dumbledore, who flinched at the gesture. "Set my family up as sacrificial lambs and stole my entire childhood, constantly throwing me into harm's way simply for his own gains. I owe you _nothing_. I am here simply to end a threat to the life I began to build away from this despicable society."

"What are your plans Harry?" Remus question softly, daring to lay a calming hand on the boy's shoulder.

"For starters," Harry said after glaring at the cowed man for a few more minutes. "We stop the Death Eater's from kidnapping the muggles. Since there will only be six of them and there are roughly twenty members in the Order, it should be fairly easy, especially if you all get there in time to set up anti-apparition and anti-portkey wards."

"You're not coming with?" Granger asked catching Harry's phrasing that conveniently kept him from committing to the plan.

"No," Harry said matter-of-factly but with an edge, that no one dared to defy. "Since he is currently set up at Malfoy manor, I will be going to Riddle Manor to deliver a message and pin the monster down to one place of operation. I suggest you all get moving if you wish to foil his plans." Not waiting for a response, Harry walked from the room.


	10. Chapter 10: Servitude

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but my OCs

**A/N: **Oy vey! Sorry for the delay everyone. I wanted to have two chapters for you guys because I did not want everyone to get mad at me come the end of this chapter cause there is a slight twist that I have a feeling that you guys will not like. Anyways, here's the new update! I hope you guys like it. Please review and let me know what you guys think.

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CHAPTER TEN: SERVITUDE

When Harry returned to his tree house a few minutes later, Scáth was already waiting patiently on his nest in the main room, which was supposed to be the bedroom but was actually more akin to a living room given that Harry always slept next to Scáth.

_Are you sure about this?_ Scáth questioned, having been privy to Harry's plan even though he had been up in the mountains.

"He will not be there," Harry assured, reflexively speaking aloud. "And I do not fancy sitting around twiddling my thumbs and waiting for him to strike like the others do."

_You know that is not what I meant,_ Scáth scolded gently as Harry strapped on the fur saddle.

Harry sighed, _I know but patience is not the key to this particular war. Voldemort will not fall unless someone challenges him. _

_You said he cannot die as long as those things called Horcruxes exist, _Scáth said as he watched Harry strap on his armor. _That they keep his soul from dying. _

"They do," Harry said, hissing at the mention of the vile objects. "And I might have an idea of how to deal with those and even if that idea doesn't pan out, we might be able to buy us time figure out a way if we can disable Voldemort long enough."

"Talking to yourself Harry?" came Remus' chuckling voice from the doorway.

Harry turned as he tightened the last strap on his bracer. "No, I was talking to Scáth. He is concerned about my decision and reasoning for going to Riddle Manor."

"He is not the only one," Remus said, taking the revelation that Scáth could speak in stride. He had guessed as much from his visit to Alagaësia.

"Listen," Harry said in slight exasperation. "This war has grown stagnate. Neither side is gaining any more ground. Something has to change. Provoking Riddle by destroying one of his bases is the only thing I can think of to enact that change. Unless either of you can think of a better plan there's no real point in discussing this."

"There is if you're planning on going alone," Remus argued, a defiant fire lighting in his eyes.

"I won't be alone Remus," Harry sighed as he walked forward to grip the werewolf by the forearms, a look of gratitude and appreciation in his eyes. "Scáth will be with me and we'll be approaching when no one will be around and when we'll be least visible. We'll have the advantage of surprise and poor visibility. It'll be a quick and precise strike and then we're gone."

"How do you even know where Riddle Manor is?" Remus questioned, trying desperately to make Harry stay.

"The graveyard from fourth year," Harry explained. "It's in the same town and in sight of the manor." Before the wolf could say any more, Harry wrapped him in a strong hug and said, "Go Remus, help the order and put a dent in the mad man's forces."

Without any further conversation, Harry climbed up Scáth's scaly leg. After a parting wave, Scáth gave a mighty lurch and leapt out of the teardrop opening and quickly gained altitude. He quickly angled south while Harry drew the Elder Wand and started weaving spells into his armor to deflect a wide arrange of spells. They wouldn't be able to get to their destination until sunset but they both wanted to spend the time flying together as they hadn't been able to spend any real length of time together in some time. For a long time the only sound between the two of them was the beat of Scáth's wings and the soft chanting of Harry's spell weaving.

_I do not like this,_ Scáth finally spoke when the sun was coming off its apex.

Confusion emanated from Harry. _You've seen war before, just as I have. _

_That is not it. _Scáth responded with an uncomfortable wriggle. _Something is… off. _There were a few more minutes of silence and Harry patiently waited for Scáth to gather his thoughts. _This land is stranger to me than Alagaësia was when I first hatched, even with the memories you and I had inadvertently shared to get here. People here seem obsessed with hiding behind masks, as if every move they make is rooted in manipulation for politics. It is worse than the elves. _

Harry snorted._ An apt description. _

_That being said,_ Scáth said, not minding the interruption in the slightest. _There is something else about this land. I feel like we're being watched. It is unnerving, especially when I know no one else is around, like now for instance. We are in the air, probably almost two hundred feet, and still I feel like our every movement is being carefully watched and judged. It is strange and I do not like it._

Harry was silent for some time. He had never given it much thought before but he had felt it as well. Ever since he had entered the wizarding world he had always felt like he was carefully being watched but he had always attributed it to being famous, after all that did have a tendency to draw people's eyes. However, there wasn't any excuse for that feeling now. Harry had quite forcefully slaughtered his fame when he slaughtered Dumbledore's shinning reputation. No one bugged him anymore, aside from Remus whom Harry didn't mind. Still, though, he felt the constant presence of someone or something watching him, even high in the sky where they ruled as warrior kings. The more Harry focused on the sensation of being watched, the more keenly he felt its presence.

_I do not know what to do about it but I suggest we be careful nonetheless. _Harry said with an uneasy note to his voice. His eyes started reflexively shifting this way and that, searching for the unseen.

_Perhaps it is someone watching us through magical means? _Scáth suggested uncomfortably. _Oromis and Glaedr maybe?_

Harry thought about it for a second before shaking his head. _No. Not only would scrying something across dimensions likely take an enormous amount of magical strength but I cast spells around us after Gil'ead to prevent anyone from scrying us remember?_

_Someone from this world then?_

_Not likely, _Harry said with another shake of his head. _There are spells to monitor someone and track their location but I know of no spell that would allow someone to physically watch another person. _

Scáth wriggled uncomfortably but didn't comment. He had nothing to say and neither did Harry. What was there to say? They had no explanation for the strange sensation and they knew not who it was that was watching them. The best they could do would be to keep an eye out for any strange characters watching them a little too closely. They rode the wind currents in silence after that, enjoying each other's company and the peaceful freedom that came with flying, though it was marred slightly by their revelation.

They glided calmly upon the wind until the sun reached the horizon and twilight spread across the land. Scáth roared triumphantly as a surge of energy coursed through his veins. Every animal within a hundred mile radius, which was a lot considering they were over a forest, clamored and screeched in protest. Over fifty birds fled from the branches and their nests and scattered in every direction. Scáth went into a steep nosedive and Harry clung to the spike in front of him as a huge smile spread across his face. The shadows of twilight grew longer and longer as they dived towards the forest. Instead of crashing into the trees, as most would expect, Harry and Scáth disappeared entirely. Scáth pulled out of the dive as they entered the realm of shadows. In a matter of moments, they were leaving it once again and pulling towards the sky, coming out of a forest in a completely different part of the country. The sun was a little lower on the horizon but not by much. Below them passed the graveyard in which Harry had been an unwilling participant in the resurrection of Voldemort.

Harry hissed in pain as his scar started burning. _I guess I was wrong about him not being here._

_Do you still wish to go through with this? _Scáth questioned, sharing Harry's pain but being unable to do anything about it.

_Yes,_ Harry said with gritted teeth as he drew Bhuailteoir. _Whether he is here or not he needs to know we are not to be taken lightly. We should be safe enough given the advantage of surprise and the spells I cast to guard us. Be wary if you see green light coming at us though. There is no shield to guard against the killing curse. _

Scáth's only response was to growl as they circled Riddle Manor. They waited, high in the sky, until the sun was fully set and darkness spread across the land. On cue, Scáth dived at the house. He released a jet of unrivaled flames that engulfed the roof and top floor of the house. Harry pointed Bhuailteoir at the house and with a silent command, light flashed along the swords length and shot towards the building. On impact, the combined power of two wands imbued with strength from the magical sword, the spell ripped out a massive section of the house, tearing into two of the four floors and crumpling a chimneystack. The minds of the Death Eaters from within began screaming in alarm; even Voldemort was caught unaware and by surprise. Scáth released another torrent into the hole while Harry slashed his sword and severed another large chunk of the building.

The Death Eater's were caught so entirely off guard that several fled as their colleagues were turned into nothing but ash. Voldemort was too busy trying to defend himself against the writhing flames that surrounded him to try and rally his forces or to even try and figure what in the nine hells was going on. That is, he was until Harry's voice echoed over the land in a taunting laugh.

"How does it feel Tom?" Harry called as another section of the house exploded in a shower of brick and wood. "How does it feel to be helpless and trapped? Do you think me so easily manipulated now?" Harry blasted a hole straight through the house, taking several Death Eaters with it. "How long do you think your Horcruxes will last now Tom? Death approaches and with it an end to your infernal reign."

Harry's taunting was followed by another torrent of flame from Scáth and Voldemort wasn't given a chance to respond, as he had to cast a constant stream of spells just to keep himself from burning alive. His concentration was shattered when another section of the house was torn to shreds, this time by Scáth's giant claws. Unable to remain in the area, unless he wished to burn, Voldemort vanished with a loud crack. The building was unable to continue standing up right and started to collapse on it-self. Scáth took back to the air and circled high above, invisible among the stars. For good measure, Harry cast one last spell and the entire house, or what was left of it, exploded in every direction.

Not needing to witness the aftermath of their attack, Scáth disappeared into the shadow realm and quickly reappeared over Hogwarts, where the Order members were making their way up the path from Hogsmeade with what looked like several prisoners. The two of them landed at Hogwarts' main doors, where the members would head. Harry easily dismounted from Scáth's back just as the first few reached the castle. Several of them panicked at the sight of Scáth, not having known of Harry's dragon, but the sight of Harry coming down off Scáth's back and the calmness that the dragon projected quickly turned their panic into shock.

"I see everything went well on your end," Harry commented as he sheathed Bhuailteoir and approached.

"Quite," Malfoy's amused drawl sounded as he approached the front of the gathering members. "They were caught so off guard that we managed to disable most of them without a fight."

"Good, good," Harry said with an approving nod. "Now–"

Whatever Harry was about to say was cut off as he hissed in pain as his forehead practically split open as pain erupted from his scar. His vision warped and he was suddenly standing in front of the smoldering remains of Riddle Manor. Anger pulsed through his veins and Harry had to fight to distance himself from Voldemort's feelings. He saw flashes of objects, a cup, a crown, a ring, a locket and a snake. Harry presumed these things were Voldemort's Horcruxes but he didn't have time to ponder anything. He tried to flee but Voldemort was intentionally holding him there and causing spikes of pain to shoot through Harry.

"You will pay for this boy," Voldemort growled in seething fury.

"Go fuck a Thestral," Harry snapped as he clawed at Voldemort, trying to free himself.

Voldemort snarled and tightened his hold, almost causing Harry to black out. "I don't know how you found out but you will die before you will have a chance to search for them."

"How do you plan on killing me when you can't even find me?" Harry bit out as he struggled against the bonds.

Harry almost managed to slip free but Voldemort grabbed him at the last second. Thankfully, though, in that brief moment Scáth was able to slip in through the connection. He started clawing and tearing at Voldemort's mind, wreaking all kinds of damage and giving them both a chance at escape. Harry's eyes snapped open to find himself lying face down in the grass with Scáth standing protectively over him. He felt blood pouring freely from the scar on his head, coating his face in the liquid of life. Harry groaned and rolled onto his back, keeping his left eye closed, as that was the direction the blood was flowing. Pain still seared through his brain from the scar but he figured Voldemort would be too wounded to launch another assault.

_Well, we wanted his attention. _Scáth commented with an angry growl, not at Harry but at Voldemort.

_He'll likely gather his forces for an assault as soon as he's recovered._ Harry said as he sat up took a few minutes to calm his racing thoughts and then worked his way to his feet.

_Frankly, I'm surprised he didn't try to launch an assault sooner._

_Logic and reasoning have never been his strong points. _Harry thought as he tried not to double over and empty his already vacant stomach from the pain in his head. His efforts proved futile and he ended up bent over and dry heaving, using Scáth's leg, which was about as thick as a pine in the Forbidden Forest, as support.

"Harry?" Remus' voice asked. It sounded distant to Harry but he knew that it was only because he was in pain and hurling. "What happened?"

"Vision," Harry explained seconds before his stomach lurched again. Nobody really needed any further explaining, as they all knew about Harry's connection with the Dark Lord. "He's… rather pissed." Suddenly, a vial was thrust into his line of vision and he looked up to see Severus standing next to him holding a calming draught. "Thanks." He murmured and downed the potion. Almost instantly, his stomach began to settle and his heart rate slowed dramatically.

"You're welcome," Severus said, surprising Harry further. "And I would be pissed as well if my enemies had just destroyed one of my bases of operations."

"It's not just that," Harry said as he conjured a rag and started wiping the blood from his face. He was starting to feel stronger after drinking the potion Severus had given him and he explained his attack on Riddle Manor to everyone present, which was pretty much the entire Order.

"He won't let this go unchecked," Remus reasoned once Harry had finished. "We can expect an attack on the castle at any moment. We need to prepare."

No one argued. The Order members quickly rushed into the castle to make preparations. While the Order rushed about, Harry slipped into a bathroom in the castle and continued wiping the blood from his face and attempted to stem the flow from his scar. It took a few minutes but eventually the blood stopped and Harry was able to properly remove the blood from his face. Harry used some of the energy he had stored in Bhuailteoir's black diamond to ease the tension in his muscles from the vision and to help seal the scar once more.

Harry was just about to leave the bathroom when the castle gave a painful sounding groan. The walls vibrated and shook. Harry was thrown off balance and fought to try to remain standing. Before he could understand what was happening, Harry felt something pulling him. It was trying to take him from Hogwarts' grounds but the ancient wards were attempting to prevent it which was causing the castle to protest. Harry started fighting it as well but he didn't know what spell Voldemort, for who else would try this, was using and therefore he couldn't counter it properly. With a mighty jerk that caused the castle walls to crack, Harry was tumbling through space uncontrollably.

After what seemed like forever, Harry slammed into solid ground and fell to his back. Though he was greatly disoriented, Harry quickly regained his feet and surveyed his surroundings. First he noted that he was outside. Next he saw the large mansion, Malfoy Manor most likely, several hundred yards away. Last he noted that he was completely surrounded by what looked to him to be at least two hundred Death Eaters. Hardly thinking at all, Harry had his swords drawn. He completely ignored the laughter of the Death Eaters and focused on the man who had summoned him, they would learn soon enough to fear his weapons.

"Learned a few new tricks since the last time we met I see," Harry said to the red eyed and angry Voldemort.

"Crucio!" Voldemort snapped, obviously not in the mood for banter.

Harry slashed Bhuailteoir through the red bolt and the sword absorbed the spell, making the white strip that resembled a lightning bolt glow red briefly. "You're going to have to try better than that Tom." Harry flicked his sword and the pain spell was expelled from the sword and slammed into several Death Eaters at once. Their cries echoed over the lands before the spell expanded itself.

"I will enjoy learning the secrets of that sword," Voldemort purred as he cast another spell.

This one was the killing curse and Harry made sure to dodge to the side even as he slashed with Bhuailteoir again. He wasn't sure if the sword would absorb that spell as well. He hadn't even been expecting it the first time and he didn't know the full extent of this new ability. Apparently, the ability was strong indeed for the sickly green light was swallowed by the mystical blade. However, the strength of the spell caused the blade to glow continuously and snippets of the deadly curse sparked along the blade. Not willing to test things in this situation, Harry slashed the sword again and the curse went flying into the Death Eaters' ranks, amplified and killing at least three dozen of the shrouded figures.

"Ready to give in?" Harry questioned as he felt Scáth emerge from the Shadows high up in the sky, unaffected by the wards that surrounded Malfoy Manor. "You're not the only one who knows new tricks. Jierda!" He commanded in the Ancient Language, timing the spell with Scáth's mighty roar that drowned all other sound. As Scáth unleashed his fury upon the Death Eater's, Voldemort's wand snapped in half along with most of the man's hand. "It's time your reign ended." Harry said with finality.

He threw Bhuailteoir at the stunned Voldemort. The blade sank completely to the hilt but Harry didn't let it go there. He knew that as long as the Horcruxes existed death of the body would not kill Voldemort. Confident in Scáth's ability to terrorize and distract the other Death Eaters, Harry began reciting a spell he had been working on to resolve the problem of the Horcruxes in the ancient language. Now, the ancient language didn't have a word for Horcrux but it did have a word for soul and Harry was using that as the main focus of his spell. His original idea had been to use this spell merely to summon the Horcruxes so he could destroy them but he now had to alter that slightly.

"This soul is fractured, this soul is broken," he recited in the ancient language. "What once was whole is now scattered. In objects they now reside and death evaded. Bring them here; bring them now, to this sword, this bringer of death, this reaper of souls."

Seven lines of white light shot from the black diamond. One unexpectedly struck Harry in the forehead, right in his scar. Another struck Voldemort while the other five stretched into the sky and over the lands. In a matter of moments the lights pulled taught as if they had grabbed something. They began to recede and when they were five feet away from the source they froze, holding aloft a snake, a locket, a ring, a cup, and a crown.

Before Harry could even think of how to continue, everything seemed to stop. Scáth hung in the air, frozen with a pillar of flame pouring from his maw. The Death Eaters, who had been running around in a panic at the sudden turn in events, stopped in their tracks, several in the process of falling. It was as if time itself had stopped. A sudden and blinding white light flared into existence, blinding Harry and forcing him to shield his eyes. When they finally managed to adjust slightly, Harry found himself and Voldemort surrounded by no less than fifteen different beings shrouded in blinding white light. None of them could be properly identified and they all varied in height, stature, and physical structure.

"You have delved into a realm of magic that is forbidden!" They all spoke at once. Their voices weren't human and the sheer power that boomed as they spoke almost caused Harry black out from pain. As it was he collapsed to his knees.

"However," one voice boomed, unmistakably male.

"Your situation and arrogance have spared you." Another, female but no less powerful, spoke.

"W-who," Harry managed to utter but he couldn't finish the sentence.

"We are the watchers of the lands." A different male voice spoke up. "We govern all worlds. Our domain is everywhere and nothing is hidden from our sight. We are the ones you humans call gods and our power surpasses everything you know. You are lucky mortal, for if you were not in the situation you are in then you would be dead."

"The manipulation of other souls is forbidden among the mortals," another female voice spoke. "Never dare to attempt such a thing again, human, for we will not be so lenient."

"As punishment for entering a forbidden realm, you shall become the keeper of the soul you have attempted to manipulate," one god said in a voice of authority. "Be grateful for the punishment is usually death."

The last god that had spoken made a sound, like the snapping of fingers. Harry started screaming as he felt something being pulled from him. It was a very strange sensation. A part of him that he had never even realized existed had awoken as something began to be pulled from it. As encompassed in his pain as he was, Harry didn't notice that the Horcruxes had turned to dust and in their wake floated five broken pieces of tainted light. Voldemort had turned to dust as well, replaced by another piece of light. With a mighty yank, Harry felt something split from what he assumed to be his soul and his scar split open once more and out came another ball of light.

"For no less than two years," The gods spoke as the fragments of light gathered above Bhuailteoir's black diamond. "You shall be tasked with tending to this soul, nurturing it. If you succeed in your task, you shall be allowed to return to the world of Alagaësia where you desire to be. If you fail…" they let the threat hang in the air. The soul fragments melded into a cohesive whole and then absorbed into the black diamond

"Two years," a female warned as Harry collapsed, his forehead bleeding once more. "It would be wise of you not to fail."

Time resumed its endless march. Bhuailteoir fell to the ground a few feet from Harry, who was dazed and barely conscious. The Death Eaters, who were already scrambling about in fear, began vanishing upon realizing that Voldemort had disappeared. Scáth immediately knew something was wrong. He flew in a large circle around Harry, releasing a pillar of fire and erecting a wall of flame between the Death Eaters and Harry. He knew Harry was merely stunned, if a bit weak, and therefore continued to terrorize the enemies until they had all vanished. Being a dragon, Scáth was immune to most of the spells that the few Death Eaters that had gathered their wits fired and the protective enchantments that Harry always kept around him helped defend against those that would have affected him. A few attempted to fire the killing curse but those that did either burned to ash or missed as Scáth was nearly invisible.

_Harry!_ Scáth cried when he had ensured that the field was clear and those that lingered had been reduced to naught but ash. _What happened?_ His only response was the memory of what had just transpired. They were both silent for a long time as they both adjust to the knowledge of what happened.

_Now we know who has been watching us._ Harry remarked absently, still far too weak to move.

'_Tis a strange thing to know,_ Scáth responded as he kept a weathered eye on their surroundings. _Never have I given any thought to the possibility of divine beings and I do not know what to think of it._

_Nor do I._ Harry said as he tried to move, only to whine in pain. His body felt like it was on fire. _We need to return to the castle._

Scáth gently picked up Bhuailteoir with one of his claws and Harry, who was still gripping his other sword, with another. With a mighty leap, he took to the air and quickly shadowed them back to Hogwarts' and from there to their tree house. He carefully laid Harry down on the mattress they normally slept on and then settled next to him. They were silent for a long time, neither having much of anything to say and Harry being so weak. Their silence was disturbed when they heard someone slamming through the door in the antechamber that led to the stairs leading down to forest floor. The sound of several feet came rushing towards the door and promptly crashed as the door refused to open. Harry couldn't help the snicker that escaped his lips but he instantly regretted it as his chest and throat and face muscles screamed at him.

"Open," Harry managed to croak in the ancient language. He had spelled the doors so that they would only open when someone spoke 'open' in the ancient language, which no one in this realm knew.

"Harry?" Remus' concerned voice sounded, though Harry didn't dare move to look anywhere but the ceiling of branches. Above him, Scáth growled, stopping everyone in their tracks. Through their bond, Harry saw that Remus, Severus, Granger, Weasley, and Malfoy had all come up to his tower. "Harry what happened?"

"Oh, not much," Harry barely managed with his damaged vocal cords. "Just a fight with a Dark Lord and an encounter with divine beings; you know, the usual." Above him, Scáth choked on his laughter causing puffs of grey smoke and flickers of flames to escape his nostrils.

_There are times when I wonder whether or not you are completely sane,_ the dragon remarked, which of course caused Harry to chuckle and then moan in pain. He agreed completely with his dragon of course but that doesn't mean it was any less funny.

"Correct me if I'm wrong," Malfoy said in his usual drawling voice. "But did you just say 'encounter with divine beings'?"

"Yup," Harry said in a sarcastically cheerful voice. "They were the most pleasant of beings really. Got rid of Voldemort and sentenced me to being the keeper of his soul for the next two years. All in all, fabulous beings they were." The bitter tone to Harry's voice told any who bothered to listen that, one, he wasn't joking, and two, he wasn't exactly pleased by the situation considering the history between Harry and Voldemort.

"This is all fascinating," Severus' drawling voice said. "But would you care to explain why you appear to be weaker than a wet straw?"

"Having one's soul toyed with isn't exactly what one would call pleasant," Harry sniped back. "It turns out that a piece of Riddle's soul had latched onto mine when he tried to kill me. The gods were kind enough to rip it out without so much as a by your leave."

"Not surprising really," Severus said as he dug around a pocket in his robes. "If I understand the timeline correctly, the Dark Lord's soul would have been immensely unstable at that point in time."

"Quite," Harry said as he allowed Severus to pour a potion down his throat. Almost instantly he felt his muscles begin to loosen and the constant pain his body had been began to fade. "Thank You."

"So," Weasley spoke up. He sounded hesitant given that the last few times he had interacted with Harry things had not gone well. "Is the war over?"

Harry groaned as he sat up, aided by both Severus and Scáth. "Don't know, don't care. All I know is that Voldemort is out of the picture. Whether or not the Death Eaters continue fighting is not my concern," as he said all this Harry reached up and detached his left arm. The ordeal he had just been through had aggravated the magic that had repaired his arm. "My only concern right now is getting through the next two years."

"Harry!" Granger gasped in shock at witnessing Harry so casually removing his arm.

"What?" Harry sighed in relief. The minute his arm had separated he felt an enormous drop in pain, more so than what the potions had given him.

"I think she's wondering about what happened to your arm," Malfoy spoke up when it became obvious that the stunned woman couldn't speak anymore.

"Got cut off," Harry said with a small sarcastic chuckle. "Thought that was obvious."

"So did I but I think she was wondering more of _how_ it got severed," Malfoy replied dryly.

"Sharp axe in the hands of a tricky creature," Harry answered in a tone that said he wasn't going to say any more on the matter.

_Given everything that has happened,_ Scáth spoke up, projecting his words to everyone in the room, surprising Malfoy into looking around for the source of the voice. _I think we all deserve some rest. Particularly Harry. He needs to recover his strength as quickly as possible if he is to hold his own when dealing with the Dark Lord._

Remus attempted to say something more but a soft growl from Scáth in warning had everyone quickly filing out the door, Severus being the only one that walked calmly, though there was a hint of urgency to his steps. Harry and Scáth laid together in silence for a long time, both still processing everything that had happened in such a short time. In less than a year's time for them they had fought in two wars, struck powerful blows to both, and conversed with gods. Such events were not exactly easy to adjust to.

_How am I going to do this Scáth?_ Harry questioned with a heavy, almost despondent sigh. _After everything that creature has done, how am I supposed to survive the next two years? For that matter, how the hell am I supposed to _nurture_ such a soul?_

_By taking it one day at a time, _Scáth said softly as he nudged Harry's good shoulder affectionately. _These gods may not seem to be the nicest of beings out there but I do not believe that they would have given you such a task if you, if _we_ could not prevail. _He lowered his head until one of his eyes was level with Harry's face. _Do not forget that you are not alone anymore little one. Two beings we may be but we are forever bound and your tasks are my tasks, just as my tasks, are your tasks._

_I love you my shadow,_ Harry said as he leaned into Scáth's warm side, already half asleep. Scáth hummed happily and curled around Harry. He eyed Bhuailteoir warily before settling down and closing his inner eyelid so he could continue to watch while he rested.

–Scene Break–

Harry ended up remaining asleep for the entirety of the next two days and didn't wake until half way through the third. Upon waking he felt better than he had before, though he was still sore. He managed to drag himself out of bed while reattaching his arm and went to bathe, which reduced his aches even more. After spending almost two hours relaxing in the bath Harry dressed and went outside to the lake, taking Bhuailteoir with him. He sat down beneath his favorite tree with the sword lying across his lap and closed his eyes and started meditating.

Scáth came out a few minutes after Harry and lazily crawled across the ground before settling down next to Harry and returning to a slight doze. Harry spent a good hour meditating and calming his mind from the past several days, being sure to avoid touching Bhuailteoir with his mind. He knew he needed to be calm when he started dealing with Voldemort's soul otherwise he would get nothing accomplished and acquire only a headache.

_You're procrastinating,_ Scáth said, gently interrupting Harry's meditating when he started to stretch beyond an hour. He could also feel Harry's reluctance to broach the situation lurking in the back of his mind.

_I know, _Harry responded with a sigh as his posture went slack. _It's just not easy to think about making contact with a mind I despise and have been linked to for my entire life. _

_That,_ Scáth said as he shifted closer so his head was lying right next to Harry's side. _Is why I am here._

Harry smiled and sent warm waves of love across their bond, which were returned in kind. After a moment of basking in those feelings, Harry gathered his courage and hesitantly extended his mind towards the black diamond in Bhuailteoir's pummel. Even before he made contact with Voldemort's mind and soul, Harry could feel the increase in power, tainted power, which swirled around the diamond. It pulsed and radiated like a malfunctioning light bulb.

When he mind finally touched Riddle's consciousness Harry encountered no resistance and to his surprise Riddle's mind held no malice, anger, viciousness, or anything else he would have expected or had experienced. Instead, the mind seemed almost confused and lost. Moving carefully, Harry delved a little deeper into the mind and found it fractured and almost completely blank. Not a single memory of the soul's life as either Tom Riddle or Lord Voldemort existed within the mind that swirled in the black diamond.

_That's… odd._ Harry said in confusion when he had safely withdrawn from the mind to a safe distance where he wouldn't be heard by Riddle.

_Did the gods do it?_ Scáth questioned. He had delved into the mind beside Harry so as to aid him should it be needed if Riddle had attacked upon noticing Harry's presence.

_I don't think so,_ Harry said with a mild head shake as he looked down at the seemingly innocent looking gem in his sword pummel. _I see no reason as to why they would have done such a thing. They don't exactly strike me as the kind of beings to give favor. No. I think this might be a result of all of Riddle's soul pieces merging back into a cohesive whole. _Harry paused briefly to gather his thoughts before he continued. _I read up on Horcruxes and it said that the only way to return a soul fragment to where it belongs is if the person feels regret and remorse for what they have done. Now, I've no doubt that the gods could've simply forced the soul pieces back together but it's quite possible that the shock of the experience forced Riddle to feel everything he had done. In order to remain intact his mind shoved it all away, essentially creating a blank slate, a mind that knows nothing of its past or the world around it._

_Fascinating, _Scáth said in an impressed voice. Before either of them could continue they were interrupted by someone else.

"Harry?" Granger called softly as she hesitantly approached where Harry sat beneath the tree by the lake. Harry looked up to see her fearfully skittering Scáth's girth in order to stand at a respectable angle to Harry. "How're you doing?"

"Better the other night," Harry said with a slight shrug as he shifted his mended arm. The magic holding his arm together was still a little sensitive but it was settling down. "How is the Order fairing with tying up the war?"

"It's only been three days," Grange said somewhat incredulously, giving Harry a disbelieving look.

"So?" Harry countered, returning Granger's look with a raised eyebrow. "Within two days of my return I ended the wars main threat. I'm just one person, surely a group of twenty seasoned wizards and witches could at least lay out plans for rebuilding the wizarding society and other such necessary things."

"Fair enough," Granger said after a moment's thought. She shifted nervously for a second before she moved to sit down on the grass a little closer to Harry. "McGonagall has laid out small, hesitant plans, but beyond that nothing much else has been done, though Snape and Malfoy have set about trying to ferret out whether or not the remaining Death Eaters are going to pose a problem."

"Well it is something," Harry said with an unconcerned shrug. "I suppose they have a little more time now anyways. Just don't expect any more help from me."

"To be frank I don't think some of the Order want your help," Hermione said plainly as she glanced at the sword laying across Harry's lap. "After what you did to Dumbledore the other day some of them are quite angry and some don't even believe that you actually stopped him."

"Well it is quite a story," Harry said, turning his gaze to look out over the lake. "I'm living it and I can barely believe it."

_You and me both,_ Scáth interjected quietly as he yawned slightly.

"Harry," Hermione said in a nervously serious voice. She waited until Harry turned his attention back to her before continuing. "I really am sorry." Harry quirked an eyebrow at her, indicating for her to continue. "He manipulated me just as he did everyone else. I'm not saying that what I did wasn't wrong but if I had known what he was really trying to do then I never would have betrayed your confidence like that. You were my first friend Harry. I really did think that I was helping you because of everything that had been going on."

Harry sighed heavily and gazed down at the ground with heavy eyes and even heavier shoulders. "I understand Hermione, I really do. It just hurt you know?" He looked back up at her, allowing his pain to show freely in his eyes. "It really hurt to find out thatmy first and _only _friends had either been coerced into befriending me or were going around behind my back betraying my trust and confidence. I was like you Hermione. I never had any friends before Hogwarts, not one. You and Ron were the first ones who didn't look at me like I was some sort of freak, though to be fair Ron did gawk at me for a while when he first found out who I was. It was just too much to find out that my entire life had basically been nothing but an orchestrated play, especially after what happened at the Ministry."

_Forgive her,_ Scáth said softly as he nudged Harry's arm with his snout. _It is obvious that she regrets her actions and like she said, Dumbledore manipulated her just like he did everyone else. The only malice in her mistake lays with him not her. Everyone deserves a second chance. _

_Whether they deserve one or not is debatable,_ Harry said, thinking of Voldemort. _But you are right. The fault lays with that bastard Dumbledore not her, though I refuse to forgive Weasley. Manipulated or not I gave him several second chances over the years and he doesn't deserve another. _Aloud Harry said, "I'm willing to give you a second chance Hermione but you should know that I plan on leaving again in two years when my sentence is up."

"Why?" Hermione questioned with hesitation, confusion, worry, and regret. "The war is ended and you've obviously no need to fear people idolizing you anymore."

"Because I must," Harry said vaguely but continued before Hermione could question him further. "Besides, this isn't my home anymore Hermione. I can't live here with people that will look to me, expecting me to just fix everything that's wrong in their lives for reasons that are completely moronic and have nothing to do with things I'm consciously responsible for. Not to mention I have other responsibilities to tend to, responsibilities I chose as opposed to having them forced upon me."

_It was sort of both actually,_ Scáth remarked absently.

"Oh hush, you know what I mean," Harry said with a half hearted and slightly amused glare at his bonded.

"What did he say?" Hermione asked in confusion, not having been privy to Scáth's comment.

"He was just saying how some of my responsibilities weren't entirely of my own making but I stand by the fact that I've chosen and accepted those responsibilities as they are not based off of something I have no recollection of doing." Harry explained while Scáth snickered in amusement.

"Where is it you're going to go?" Hermione asked curiously as she shifted her position so her legs wouldn't go numb. "And for that matter why do you still look like you did ten years ago?"

"There's my old Hermione," Harry chuckled with a fond smile, making Hermione blush profusely. "Always interested in information." His chuckle worsened when Hermione looked at him in playful agitation. "To answer your question though, I will be returning to the world of Alagaësia, where I found Scáth and once there we won't be leaving again."

"I've never heard of such a place," Hermione said in confusion, her brow wrinkling in thought as she mentally ran through all the lists of places she had ever read about.

_You would not have,_ Scáth said as he yawned, displaying his pearly white fangs. _It resides in another dimension. _

"You ran away to another dimension?" Hermione said in shock.

"Unintentionally," Harry said with an unconcerned shrug. "I had initially just wanted to run but I somehow managed to end up in Alagaësia."

"That's…" Hermione was so stunned that she couldn't finish her sentence.

_Quite shocking, _Scáth provided with a slight hint of amusement to his voice. Harry detected something else to the dragon's voice though and he wasn't quite sure what to make of it. He had never felt Scáth feel nervous or afraid before. His curiosity was piqued even more by Scáth's next words. _I do not wish to be rude, far from it, but I wish to speak to Harry about something private before he continues with his appointed task._

"Oh, uh sure," Hermione said a little flustered. She didn't seem upset, just taken off guard. "It's getting close to dinner anyways and Ron will no doubt be shoveling down anything in sight if the elves haven't provided a proper meal. I'll talk with you later."

Harry gave a parting statement somewhat mechanically. He had noticed something in Hermione's voice as well, something that he never thought he'd hear from her. She sounded sad. Sure there were plenty of other times before he had ran away where she had been upset, maybe even slightly depressed due to an outcome of an experiment she had been working on, but he had never heard her sound sad before. It was a tone that made him wonder if she was truly happy with her life.

_So what's on your mind sparkles?_ Harry said playfully, trying to lighten the mood since he could sense great waves of nervousness and fear coming from his bonded. He merely smiled mischievously when he received a halfhearted narrow eyed glare from the large dragon.

_First of all my name is not sparkles,_ Scáth said with a huff of white smoke.

_No but you do sparkle in the sunlight, particularly at sunset. _Harry said unrepentantly with a grin. _I think I'll give you sparkles as a nickname. _

Second _of all, _Scáth said with a growl that vibrated the ground. Naturally Harry just grinned all the more. _I wish to speak about something that has been nagging me since you were taken the other day._ Scáth shifted his position so his head was higher up and gazing out over the lake. _I came very close to panicking and destroying everything in sight when you were taken and I couldn't reach you because of the distance between us. _

"I'm sorry," Harry said solemnly as he put a hand on Scáth's claw, the only part of the dragon that he could reach.

_It is not your fault,_ Scáth said as he swung his head back and forth and lowered his head so he was staring directly at Harry with one of his large, black, gem like eyes that held endless depths of emotion, strength, and power. _It was liable to happen eventually and it was something that we should have thought about and prepared for beforehand. It also got me thinking. We could end up getting separated again. No, _he said firmly when Harry opened his mouth to respond. _Whether you would choose to leave my side or not is irrelevant. You were forcibly taken from me once already and it could end up happening again. _

_My dear shadow, _Harry said sorrowfully with tears welling up in his eyes. He brought up his arms and wrapped as much of his dragons snout as he could in a hug. _I'm so sorry but I don't know how we can avoid such a situation again._

_I do. _Scáth said simply with a hum. _It is something that no shadow dragon has ever done. _

_What is it? _Harry prompted gently as he pulled back slightly when Scáth had fallen silent.

_You know the word Eldunarí, _Scáth said, more of a statement than question.

_Aye, several of the scrolls of mentioned it but all they say it means is heart of hearts but they've never actually said what that is supposed to be. _Harry said in mild confusion.

_That is because it is one of the greatest and most protected secret of the dragons. Only the oldest, wisest, and most trusted Riders of the order were allowed to guard the Eldunarí, _Scáth said as he raised his head high above Harry.

Harry could see and feel Scáth's mighty neck flex and contract for several seconds before the dragon arched his neck and lowered his head to the patch of grass right in front of Harry. Scáth opened his mighty jaws as his neck muscles continued to contract. For a moment Harry thought the dragon was going to cough up a fur ball or something but when Scáth finally finished what he was doing, a beautiful stone, about twice the size of Scáth's egg, was laying in the grass. It shone slightly but the light of twilight, a time of power influx for the shadow dragon, made it look as if the stone wasn't entirely solid.

_This is an Eldunarí, _Scáth said with a hint of reverence to his voice. He kept his eyes fixed on the glorious stone and refused to look anywhere else, something Harry didn't fail to notice. _Every dragon has one. It is a part of our bodies that allow our consciousness to endure even after our bodies have ceased functioning. It also doubles as an energy reservoir, like the way elves use gems to store energy. _Scáth paused briefly before turning his gaze on Harry. _With an Eldunarí you could draw on its energy to cast spells that you wouldn't be able to cast otherwise and you will be able to communicate with the dragon inside at will if you are close enough to the Eldunarí. If you and I were on opposite sides of Alagaësia or even on different continents we would still be able to speak with each other._

"Oh my dragon," Harry said as he stood up and walked up to his bonded, where he promptly laid on his dragon's snout in a warm hug. He could easily figure out the dangers of an Eldunarí and the sheer amount of trust Scáth must have in Harry in order to disgorge his and give it to Harry.

_There is more, _Scáth said after several minutes of just enjoying the contact of Harry's hug. It meant a good deal to the dragon that Harry had ignored his Eldunarí and its potential power in favor of being with him. _A shadow dragon's Eldunarí is not like any other. It does not simply contain the consciousness and energy of the dragon that disgorged it. Anyone who holds a Shadow Eldunarí is capable of wielding shadow magic, the very thing that gives us Shadow Dragons an edge against every other living thing. Even if the person holding the Eldunarí doesn't have the trust of the dragon inside would still be able to wield it. That is why these Eldunarí are so much more dangerous than any other and why no Shadow Dragon has ever disgorged their heart of hearts before. That coupled with the fact that our magic can make our heart of hearts look like anything we so desire makes a Shadow Eldunarí far more dangerous than other Eldunarí._

"Will you ever cease to amaze me?" Harry said fondly, still ignoring the object behind him.

_Why would I do that? _Scáth said, some amusement returning to his voice. _Especially when your facial expressions are quite amusing to look at. _Harry burst out laughing at that and it took him several minutes to calm down and form a response.

_So,_ Harry said with amusement still lacing his voice. He sat down back down and reverently picked up the Eldunarí. Almost immediately he got flashes of Scáth's memories and thoughts. The thousands of images and words would've been disconcerting if Harry had not already been in constant contact with Scáth's mind. As it was, he merely sat there in silence for a few moments trying to find a balance. Eventually, the uncontrollable influx calmed with the help of Scáth and Harry could think again. _You said that you could make your Eldunarí look like anything you want._

_Yes, _Scáth said as he buffeted Harry's hair with a puff of hot air. _Anything inanimate anyways. Our heart of hearts cannot turn into anything living._

Harry grinned and sent Scáth an image. Scáth chuckled in amusement, seeing where Harry was going. The Eldunarí shimmered with a pulse of dark energy and it quickly shank in size. In a matter of moments the two foot long and two foot around gem was nothing more than a black diamond stud earring. Harry smiled as he took the earring and pierced his right ear with it and set it into place. A murmured spell later and his ear was completely healed. Another spell and the seemingly insignificant earring could never be removed by anyone but himself. A third spell had it so no one would be able to look at the earring without a great deal of concentration and focus.

_Forever,_ Harry said with a smile as he laid a hand on Scáth's scaly cheek. The dragon hummed happily and they both settled down and started dealing with the ignorant Dark Lord.


	11. Chapter 11: Plots

**Disclaimer: **Again I, sadly, own nothing other than my OCs.

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CHAPTER ELEVEN: PLOTS

Harry stood tall and proud under his favorite tree and staring out over the Black Lake and watching the sunset dance its colors across the skies. Scáth, who had grown to thrice the size he had been when they first came back to Hogwarts, stood behind him look nothing less than the mighty dragon he was. It had been two years since Harry had been sentenced by the gods at the end of the war to take care of Tom Riddle's soul. It had been a strange and unexpected two years. With the Dark Lord's memories wiped clean, the soul he was taking care of had no idea who it had been or why it was confined to the black diamond in Harry's sword, Bhuailteoir. Harry did his best to keep his hatred for the Dark Lord under control and not have it play a role in how he dealt with, essentially, an entirely different person. To his utter surprise, Harry had found himself caring for Tom Riddle as a parent would care for their child.

Over time Tom's memories returned to him but Harry had managed to handle things in such a manner where Tom didn't revert back into his homicidal self. In fact, he showed a great deal of regret for his actions, something that had surprised Harry to no end. Harry believed that he had accomplished this feat because he had been honest, straightforward, and kind when dealing with Tom. He didn't always tell Tom everything right away but when Tom asked Harry a question he always told him the truth, even if it was painful.

"Harry?" Hermione's voice sounded from behind Harry and Scáth. Dragon and Rider turned their heads simultaneously to see Hermione and Remus approaching them, both looking mildly apprehensive but determined all the same.

"Hey guys," Harry greeted with a smile, even as he turned back to look at the sunset. "What're you two doing out here?"

"Looking for you," Remus said as he came to stand next to Harry on one side while Hermione took the other. "Why are you just standing out here?"

"Waiting," Harry said simply, knowing full well it would irritate the girl next to him even though she had not been the one to ask the question. She simply hated it when someone answered a question with a vague answer.

"For wh–" Hermione's question was cut off midstream as her entire body froze. On the other side of him Remus had frozen in the middle of scratching the side of his nose. Behind him, Scáth looked no more than a frozen statue sculpted by an excellent artist.

"For that," Harry said with a sigh, even as he was blinded by the appearance three gods, who were still shrouded by white light. He didn't bother questioning why there were only three this time as apposed to fifteen like last time. He merely assumed that the others were busy with something more important.

"You have surprised us human," one of the gods said, not waiting for a greeting from Harry.

"Something I'm very apt at apparently," Harry couldn't help but remark with a smirk.

"You did not attempt to exact revenge on the soul that plagued your life," a female spoke up. Harry couldn't see anything of their identifying features so he could only guess as to which of the three were male and female and which had spoken. "Why?"

"As much as I would have liked to, that would have made me no better than him," Harry said calmly, though there was a hint of annoyance to his voice.

He drew Bhuailteoir and held it out to the gods. The blade floated over to the three figures and promptly stuck itself in the ground. The middle god held out their hands and Riddle's soul floated from the black diamond and floated above the god's palms. Harry watched in amazement as the swirling light slowly condensed into a glass orb that dropped into the gods waiting hands and then vanished as the god brought it close to their chest.

"Regardless," one of them said. "You have impressed us and your sentence is rescinded. You may return to Alagaësia." Not waiting for a response the gods vanished.

"–at?" Hermione finished her question as Harry stepped forward and retrieved his sword. "Uh," she continued in confusion. "What just happened? How did your sword get all the way over there?"

"It floated over there when the gods removed Riddle's soul and took it with them," Harry explained as he sheathed Bhuailteoir and drew his wand to summon the bags he had packed earlier that day. "It's over. He's gone forever and I can leave."

"But… we just…" Hermione said flabbergasted as she glanced back to the castle, then back to Harry, then to the sun, which was in the same position it had been when she got to the lake with Remus.

"They froze time," Harry said, taking pity upon the flustered girl. "Froze everything but me. Don't ask me why though."

"Well, regardless," Remus said shaking his head and taking the whole thing in stride. Really, he had learned long ago to expect the unexpected whenever Harry got involved. "We came out here to ask a favor of you before you leave."

"Oh?" Harry said as he strapped on Scáth's fur saddle, his curiosity piqued.

"We uh," Hermione said, looking at Remus for support. "We would… liketocomewithyou." She finally blurted in a rush. Despite the fact that she had spoken fairly quickly and sounded like she had spoken a single word, Harry had understood her and froze in the middle of lashing his bag to the saddle. Even Scáth looked to the pair in surprise.

"You want to come with?" Harry tried to clarify to make sure that he had heard correctly. He turned to look at them both even as he continued speaking. "To another dimension?"

"Yes," Remus said with a nod and an ever so small smirk. It was a rare thing to get one up on Harry. "I don't know Hermione's reasons but I for one don't particularly have anything left here. All of my real friends have passed and despite the rebuild of wizarding Britain, werewolves are still prejudiced against so there isn't any real reason for me to stay. You're the one person left in my life that still means something to me and I don't think I can let you go. So, I want to come with."

"I…" Hermione said hesitantly as she shifted nervously from foot to foot. She glanced back at the castle briefly before continuing. "Things aren't what I had expected them to be Harry. Between the stress of the war and… look just suffice it to say that I don't want to stay here and I want to come with you."

Harry looked at her seriously for several long moments. He didn't read her mind, he would never violate a friend like that, but he didn't particularly need to. He could see it clearly on her face. She wasn't happy. Harry knew Hermione had liked Weasley ever since third year as she had told him as much so he hadn't been surprised when he came back and found the two married. What _had _surprised him was body language he had read between the two. Weasley had been negligently content but Hermione had been uncomfortable and slowly trying to pull away from the red head. Harry could only assume this was because their relationship hadn't been what Hermione wanted or expected. He didn't know the details but didn't particularly think he needed to.

_Do you think you can carry three? _Harry questioned his bonded.

_Why not cast a feather weight spell on yourself then I only have to carry two? _Scáth said and Harry burst into giggles.

"Alright come on then," Harry said with a wave of his hand as he turned back to Scáth and enlarged the fur saddle before he finished strapping in his pack. "Wait," he said suddenly turning to Remus. "What about you and the full moon? I don't know how you'll be affected in that world and I don't know if we'll appear on a night with the full moon."

"I thought about that," Remus said with a slightly exasperated sigh. I asked Severus to brew several batches of the Wolfsbane potion that'll last me a while and I already took a dose before coming out here just in case that is what happened. Like you though, I can't say exactly how I'll be affected. Hopefully nothing too horrible will happen."

"Are you sure?" Harry said just to be safe.

"Yes," Remus said, even as Hermione asked, "Can we get going? Please?"

Harry looked at her and then looked in the direction where she was looking and saw someone running from the castle. He turned back and gave Hermione a look that said she had some explaining to do even as he brought her forward and helped her onto Scáth's shoulders. Once Remus was settled into place Harry cast the feather weight spell on himself and hoisted himself into place. Scáth quickly launched himself into the air and managed to gain a great deal of height before the person running towards them had reached the lake. Harry looked back briefly, his last glimpse of Hogwarts, before he gave Scáth the go ahead and they quickly slipped into the realm of Shadows.

Just as Hermione and Remus started to freak out a little bit, they reemerged underneath a starry sky and moonless night. Remus and Harry both actually sighed in relief when neither of them saw a full moon. Harry's relief was short lived however when almost a thousand voices pierced his unshielded mind. Harry winced in pain and Scáth growled along with him. All the voices were screaming for the same thing; death. They were so angry and in so much agony that all they wanted was for everything to die.

_QUICKLY! _A voice pierced through the pain in Harry and Scáth's mind. _Fly higher and leave this area. Quick, before they notice!_

Not pausing to question anything, Scáth quickly gained more altitude and used his power over the shadows to increase his speed. It took almost ten minutes but eventually they went beyond the reach of the pain and anger filled minds. Harry and Scáth breathed easier and the tension drained from their muscles. They both started once again though when an unexpected voice sounded in their heads, the same one that had advised them to get out of the area.

_Foolish younglings! _The voice said angrily, though not inflicting any pain on Harry and Scáth. Both of them recognized the voice as Umaroth's, the mysterious being that had informed Harry of the last free eggs and convinced him to summon them in order to remove the threat of them hatching for anyone that Galbatorix might control. _Especially you Shadow Dragon! You put _no _thought into where you wanted to appear when you came out on the other side and you ended up right over Ilirea! _Harry paled and Scáth missed a beat in his wing flaps, causing them to stumble slightly. They both recognized the elfin name for Urû'baen.

"Harry's what's going on?" Remus asked in confusion.

"Hang on," Harry said before turning his attention back to Umaroth. _We apologize, we did not think. Do you know how long we have been gone?_

_Two and a half, almost three months, _Umaroth said petulantly, not really having forgiven them but moving on to more pertinent matters. _Galbatorix has started mobilizing his forces to move against the Varden and the Elves, though he has yet to notice that the eggs are no longer in his possession._

_Well we can thank the gods for that, _Harry said quietly between only him and Scáth.

_Indeed, _Scáth replied briefly before directing a question at Umaroth. _Those voices back there in Urû'baen… they were Eldunarí weren't they?_

Dragon and Rider both heard Umaroth sigh heavily before replying. _Yes, they were. Galbatorix stole hundreds if not thousands of them when he conquered the Riders. _

_And you? _Harry questioned as he mulled over that piece of information.

Again Umaroth sighed before answering. _Yes. Just over a hundred of us were secreted away and hidden deep beneath Doru Araeba where Galbatorix couldn't find us. This discussion can wait though, you should head north to Carvahall as quickly as possible. Galbatorix sent the Ra'zac along with about thirty soldiers. We don't know much but have inferred that he thinks to control Eragon by kidnapping his cousin. They should be there within a half days march, maybe less. _

_Well he's probably right there, _Harry remarked absently. _Very well, we shall go there at once. _Aloud Harry said, "Hold on! We're going through the shadows again." Remus and Hermione didn't have a chance to respond as Scáth quickly pulled on his link to the Shadow Realm. The journey was shorter than it had been between Hogwarts and here but it was enough to cause a drain on Scáth's energy and enough to disorient the two new comers to Alagaësia.

"What happened?" Hermione questioned from place in front of Remus, who was sitting between her and Harry. "Why did we do that again?"

"Because we were needed here," Harry explained as Scáth drifted lower and lower towards the small village of Carvahall. "I can't explain much but we were told that we were needed here as soon as possible. When we land I need you two to stay with Scáth in the forest ok?"

"Sure but why?" Remus asked as he laid as flat as he could so as to avoid the approaching branches.

"Because," Harry said as he dismounted when they landed in a small glade just west of the village proper. "The Empire is about to attack this village and I need to get everyone to leave. If we had landed in the middle of the village then everyone would have panicked. I want you to stay here because I'm not certain how things are going to play out and I want you as protected as possible. If you can, avoid using magic in the open for now. Magic users are scarce here and if you were found out you could be taken to the King, which would be tantamount to being handed over to Voldemort." Harry was about to walk off but paused as he remembered something. "Oh, and transfigure your clothes to look similar to mine so you don't stand out."

After that Harry quickly trotted off back towards Carvahall. As he approached, he surveyed the minds of the villagers until he had located the one he wanted in the very house where he had failed to save Garrow's life. When he managed to make his way through the village and to the two story house, which he actually noticed was very nicely built, he knocked sharply twice on the thick oak door. As he waited Harry heard movement off to his right but his mental scope didn't see anyone, not even animals. Grateful for his long cloak that hid most of his body, Harry surreptitiously lifted his right leg and drew the dagger that he kept there.

_Be on guard, _Harry said quietly to Scáth as he pounded on the door again. He knew no one was sleeping and all alive so there was no reason why they shouldn't have answered the door. Another sound of movement echoed through the night just as someone opened the door.

"Hello?" A kindly looking woman said as she peered through the crack. She had honey blond hair and looked to be in about her second trimester of pregnancy.

"Hello," Harry greeted warmly after glancing to his left where the noise had come from. "I am looking for Roran Garrowsson and cousin of Eragon."

"There be no one here by that name," the woman, Elain Harry caught from one of the other minds in the house. She made to close the door but Harry stopped her by placing his hand on the door, using his superior strength to keep it open.

"With respect ma'am," Harry said, keeping his voice level and calm despite the fact that he could still here movement around the sides of the house and yet couldn't sense any mind, human, animal, or insect, to go with the noises. "I know he is inside, he is in fact standing just around the corner listening to this conversation. I am a friend of Eragon's and I need to speak with him."

"What proof do you have to back your words?" A different voice sounded from behind the door. Elain sighed briefly before stepping aside and allowed the door to open more and revealed a boy (well a boy to Harry who was now eighteen) around sixteen with a small amount of stubble on his face, indicative of him just getting around to growing a beard. He had brown hair just like his cousin and stood just over five and a half feet.

"None save my words and the knowledge of how your father was killed," Harry said calmly as he silently gestured with his empty hand, questioning whether or not he could come in. When he was granted entrance and Elain closed the door, Harry wordlessly and wandlessly sealed the door from opening or closing and then whispered a few words in the ancient language to keep them from being eavesdropped on.

"What do you know of my father? And what is your name?" Roran questioned as he stood stiff and ready move at the first sign of danger.

"My name is Harry," Harry said as he shifted about the main room, looking for points of entry and any places where someone might force their way in. "And I know your father had to have been a good man in order to raise two strong men such as yourself and Eragon. I also know who is responsible for his death." He paused for a moment when his sensitive ears picked up the swishing of a cloak outside one of the windows but he quickly continued as if nothing was wrong. "Some months back some strangers visited your village yes? Garbed in cloaks and caused ice to run down the spines of anyone who looked at them."

"Yes," a big man said from the other side of the room. He was tall and muscular with a black beard and same color hair. His shirt was unbuttoned at the very top and revealed a rather hairy chest. His huge arms were brought on by his profession as a black smith, or so Harry believed since he caught flashed of the man working over a forge from his mind. "We believed them to be responsible or whatever creature that destroyed their farm."

"No creature destroyed the farm," Harry said as he kept an eye on the window that he heard slight clicking noises coming from. "It was the Ra'zac, the King's personal dragon hunters. The strange tracks you found at the farm were from Eragon's dragon."

Before anyone could register what he had said, Harry flung his arm out and released his dagger. It went sailing across the room and imbedded itself all the way to the hilt in the window frame, pinning a claw-like hand that had been seconds away from hoisting a body through the window. A high-pitched screech of pain pierced the night even as Harry drew his swords and approached the window. Just as another figure was about to leap through the window, Harry swung Bhuailteoir in a back hand cross and rammed its pummel straight into the face of what he presumed to be a Ra'zac. The creature wailed in pain like its companion as Harry took his other sword and stabbed. Harry felt his blade pierce something but as both creatures continued to struggle, he figured he didn't hit anything vital.

"Garjzla!" Harry barked the ancient language word for light as he sliced through the clawed hand that was pinned to the window frame. Bhuailteoir lit up like a second sun. The Ra'zac, who were highly sensitive light, screeched in pain before fleeing into the night, wounded and out matched. "It isn't safe here," Harry said as he sheathed his weapons and yanked out his dagger from the window from and tossed the severed hand. "The village must evacuate."

"We cannot just abandon our homes," someone protested, likely one of Horst's sons given the resemblance. "Our families have been in this valley for generations; they won't just up and leave."

"If they value their lives and the lives of their children then they will be ready to leave by dawn," Harry said ruthlessly. "The king will not stop until he rules everything and if he thinks he can accomplish that by capturing and killing every last one of you then he will. Particularly you," Harry said definitively as he pointed a finger at Roran. "Eragon is a Rider free from the king's control and he believes to control your cousin by holding you hostage. Do you truly wish for the world to fall into the hands of a madman simply because you wouldn't leave your homes?"

"There appeared to be only two of those creatures," Horst's son continued to protest.

"There is a host of some thirty soldiers that are better armed and better protected than any of you, on their way to this village right now," Harry said overriding the man's attempt to defy the need for everyone to vacate their homes. "The Ra'zac likely went ahead in an attempt to capture Roran unawares." That put a stop to any more thoughts of resistance. "I suggest you start packing and gather the rest of the villagers. We head east an hour before dawn."

"There's nothing but mountains to the east," Roran protested in confusion. "Then the Anora, which leads into the North Sea. We'll have trapped ourselves. We should head west through The Spine and then follow the coast south until we have evaded the soldiers and can safely cross back."

"We will lose them faster if we go east and cross the Anora," Harry said as he approached the front door and cancelled his spells. "From there we cross the few leagues to Du Weldenvarden where we will be protected by the elves."

"You're mad!" Roran protested as he chased Harry out of the house and towards the forest. "No one who enters that forest comes out sane again."

"Your cousin is there now undergoing training with the elves," Harry countered as he paused and turned to face Roran, getting in his face. "If you want the woman you love and your future child to live, get them ready to go and meet with everyone else on the eastern edge of the village." _That_ got through to the man and he didn't bother to respond. He simply turned and rushed back towards the main body of the village. Harry smirked and turned back towards the forest and made his way back to Scáth.

_You must hate me right now._ Harry said to Scáth as he returned to the clearing.

_I do not like being away from you any more than you do but it is necessary. _Scáth said with sadness in his voice as he rose to his full height. _Though know that I only do this because we can still communicate with each other and I can still aid you even though we are miles apart._

_Our hearts are bound forever my beautiful shadow. _Harry said as he hugged Scáth's neck. _We shall never truly be apart. Fair winds and stay safe. I don't want you shadowing unless it's necessary._

_Guard well your back little one, _Scáth said as he leapt into the air and took off. _Not all shadows are as friendly as me._ Harry smiled at that and watched as his dragon disappeared into the night.

"Where's he going?" Hermione asked as she stared after the invisible dragon.

"To inform our teachers that we've returned," Harry said as he lowered his gaze. He nearly choked on surprised laughter at the sight of his friend and surrogate godfather. Their attempt to transfigure their clothing to mimic his was… poor to say the least. Remus was dressed in what looked like a cross between robes and muggle clothing and Hermione looked like she was wearing half a dress with pants. "Think mild ages guys," he said with a suppressed snicker. He pulled out his wand and waved it a few times over them both so they were wearing similar outfits. Tight leather tunics with black trousers. Both sets of clothing were charmed to withstand impact from arrows and resistant to cuts and tears.

"So why aren't we going with Scáth?" Remus questioned as he admired his new outfit, tugging it here and there so it would settle right.

"Because we need to see the villagers to safety," Harry said as he waved his wand and conjured two identical swords, one for Remus and one for Hermione. "Scáth is going to inform them because they need to know we're back and he can't shadow us all there without causing a very serious drain on his energy."

"You realize that I've no idea how to use this thing?" Hermione said as she held up her sword and giving Harry a pointed look.

"I'll teach you both," Harry said as he made a gesture for them both to follow him back to the village. "For now we need to get out of here before you have to use it for real."

The three of them made their way back into the village and proceeded to help everyone gather there things on the eastern edges. Anyone who could, brought horses for anyone who needed. There were some constant grumblings from the villagers about having to leave their homes but none were actually willing to stay behind. At precisely an hour and a half before dawn, everyone was ready. Harry took up the lead and they all started off towards the mountains on the east side of the valley. Harry set Hermione and Remus at the back of the group and had them obliterate their tracks to make it more difficult to be followed. An hour later, the Ra'zac returned with the soldiers.

–Scene Break–

Scáth flapped his mighty and powerful membranes as he used his thick tail as a rudder and turned to avoid a down draft that would have had him crashing into the forest below. He had reached Du Weldenvarden a day after he had left Harry and, after he had been forced to walk a good ways into the forest, had been flying ever since. He did his best to avoid any elven cities for fear of being attacked because of the color of his scales. It wasn't easy and he had a few close calls when he had passed the outskirts of Osilon but for the most part he had an easy flight.

_Who approaches the elven nation?_ A voice demandedwithin Scáth's mind in the Ancient Language. Scáth knew the voice belonged to Gilderien the Wise, the elf that guarded Ellesméra.

_Scáth, dragon to Harry, and pupil to the Morning Sage, _Scáth replied in kind and respectfully, though with a hint of urgency to his voice. _May I pass? _

_So long as you remain an ally of the elves you are welcome here. _Gilderien said and then withdrew from the contact.

Scáth huffed in slight annoyance at having to go through that, thinking such things as unnecessary, for him at least. He was a mighty and proud dragon that would never bow to such atrocious actions, not to mention he would rather sever his own head then be a servant to a maniac like Galbatorix. Scáth sighed again and resigned himself to having to deal with such things when two legs got involved. It never ceased to amaze him how much creatures on two legs insisted on quarrelling with themselves. A slightly amused chuckle brought him out of his mental ramblings. It took him a few seconds to realize his bonded was laughing at him.

_You know I'm right, _Scáth said as he made his way towards the Crags of Tel'naeir.

_I never said you weren't,_ Harry said, amusement thick in his voice as he continued to lead the villagers of Carvahall through the mountains and towards safety. _I just found it funny. _

_You find everything funny, _Scáth retorted as he alighted upon the cliffs where Oromis lived. He ignored those present for the time being in favor of taking a long draught from the river that flowed from the forest. _I swear there are times when I think you would find a single blade of grass funny. _

_Have you ever watched a single blade of grass for any length of time? _Harry questioned with such a straight voice. _They are quite entertaining. _

_Not fair! _Scáth complained as he choked on the water he had been drinking. The only response he received from Harry was renewed laughter.

"Scáth?" Oromis questioned in concern when said dragon finally seemed to have cleared his airway.

_Good uh… _Scáth paused embarrassedly and looked towards the sky to check the time of day. _Afternoon master._

"Good afternoon," Oromis replied with mild amusement. "You seem thoroughly exhausted."

_Yes, _Scáth said as he plopped down by the stream. _Forgive my rudeness in not greeting you properly or immediately. I've been flying for three days. _

_Excuse me! _Harry said suddenly and loud enough to block out what Oromis had said in response. _Why didn't you take breaks? It wasn't that vital that they knew we were back as soon as possible. _

_I got lost in flying, _Scáth defended himself, albeit rather lamely. _I didn't realize I was so exhausted until just before I got here. Besides there weren't very many places that would've allowed me to rest safely._

_Don't you give me that, _Harry reprimanded stubbornly, making his thoughts and feelings on that very clear. _As soon as you are finished with Oromis you are to go straight to our tree house and rest._

_You are not my mother. _Scáth replied defiantly. He waited for a response but all he received was a stone wall of silence. He checked to see if something had happened to Harry but found that his bonded was calmly walking besides a horse through a forest and didn't suspect anything dangerous. It took him a few moments but he eventually realized that Harry was ignoring him. _You're being ridiculous. _Scáth said with an annoyed scowl. All he received was more silence. _Fine! _He spat with a growl. _I will rest after I am done._

_In the tree house immediately upon leaving the Crags, _Harry persisted stubbornly. Scáth growled in annoyance but relented none the less. _Thank you. _Harry withdrew from the contact enough to no longer be a constant presence in Scáth's mind but not closing the contact completely. When his attention returned to his surroundings Scáth realized that he was being stared at by Oromis, Murtagh, Eragon, and Arya.

"Are you back with us?" Oromis questioned with a raised eyebrow.

_Sorry, _Scáth said sheepishly.

"Well then perhaps we'll start over," Oromis said with a half nod. "Why were you flying for three days and where is Harry?"

_I was flying for three days because I _forgot _to take a break as I made my way over here to inform you of our return, _Scáth said laying emphasis on the word forget and making sure Harry heard what he had said. He scowled when he received smug amusement back. _And Harry is currently headed east from Carvahall with the rest of the villagers. I believe they are just over half way through the mountains that border the eastern edge of the valley. _

"What?" Eragon questioned in shock and concern over his home village. "What happened?"

_Nothing thankfully, _Scáth assured calmly. _But upon are arrival back here we… noticed a host of soldiers headed for the village and lead by the Ra'zac. It was our assumption that they were after Eragon's cousin, Roran, in an attempt by the king to gain leverage over one of, to him, two free Riders that he doesn't already control. Harry stayed behind to evacuate the village while I went ahead to inform you of our return. _

"Why did you not just stay behind to assist in the evacuation?" Arya questioned in confusion.

_We both figured that the four of you needed to be informed of our return, _Scáth explained. _We also believed that given my appearance that the villagers would be less likely to trust us._

"A reasonable conclusion," Oromis said with a nod of understanding. The only publicly known dragon was Shruikan, who was utterly mad. "I must admit, though, I was expecting you two to take longer than two months to end the war in Harry's home world."

_We were there for two years, _Scáth denied with a mighty yawn. _By my calculations the time flow between worlds is about one week to one day. Therefore one month here would be about one year there._

"Well that would explain the difference in your size," Oromis said in mild surprise. "So you're now technically three years old as opposed to the almost one you were when you left."

_Yes, _Scáth said with a slight nod as he stood up. _Before I take my leave to rest, you should know that Harry plans on taking the villagers to the western edge of Du Weldenvarden and the shelter of the elves. We realize that this may prove to be an inconvenience but given the importance of the situation we thought that the queen would see fit to allow at least a temporary sanctuary. _

"I will speak with Islanzadí. I'm sure she would be willing to allow it, especially since it will aid in the protection of a free Rider." Oromis said reasonably as he scratched his chin in thought. He turned to Eragon and asked, "Do you know about how many villagers there are?"

"If the entire village has emptied then I would guess somewhere around two hundred people," Eragon said after a moment's thought. "I've never actually thought to take a real counting of everyone in the village."

"Alright," Oromis said with a thoughtful nod as he turned back to Scáth. "Go and rest Scáth. We'll talk more later."

Scáth nodded his head in recognition before walking up to stand before Murtagh, who hadn't spoken once since Scáth had landed. They stared into each other's eyes for several moments, Scáth's breath constantly making Murtagh's hair shift. Finally, Scáth brushed the tip of his snout against the top of Murtagh's head saying, _he missed you. _Not waiting for a response from the stunned man, Scáth quickly took flight and headed back towards Ellesméra.

–Scene Break–

"So are you going to tell me why we had to leave Hogwarts so quickly?" Harry questioned as he walked besides Hermione. They had left the mountains behind and crossed the Anora, with some magical help from Harry of course, a day and a half ago and were now crossing the blank stretch of land between the Anora and Du Weldenvarden. The trek between the valley and the river had actually been the most stressful, even with Hermione and Remus constantly obliterating their tracks and the wards they had set up at night. It wasn't until they had crossed the river they had started to relax.

"I just didn't think there was any need to linger is all," Hermione said with an uncomfortable shrug of her shoulders. "You wanted to leave and I wanted to come with. I could hardly pass up an opportunity to take a trip to a different dimension now could I?"

"Hermione," Harry said with a slight chuckle. He was almost tempted to believe her but he knew her to well to fall for it. "We may have had a falling out for what was ten years for you, but you're still a crappy liar." Hermione looked at him in annoyance. "What happened?"

Hermione sighed heavily in resignation before answering. "Everything happened Harry." She refused to look at him but Harry could see the sadness in her eyes none the less. "I always thought Ron would've grown up eventually, that he would have stopped acting so childish about everything, especially with a war going on, but he never did. Then we started dating and I was so happy and for a while everything was really good, we both seemed really happy, I know I was." She paused briefly to gather her thoughts and her courage before continuing. "Then it became public knowledge that you went missing and the war escalated and everything just snowballed from there. I was seriously worried that something had happened to you but Ron just got more and more angry, believing you had abandoned us. I got after him one night about being so stupid and selfish and…"

"He hit you," Harry said calmly and without any outward displays of the anger he felt towards his former friend.

"I could tell he didn't mean to do it and that he didn't think when he did because he looked just as shocked as I was," Hermione said as she shook her head in disbelief, still unable to believe that such a thing had happened to her. "It doesn't excuse what he did and I assure you I made sure that he'd never get it in his head that he could do that on a regular basis. He didn't sit down for a week because of the stinging hex I cast on his hot headed ass, he still has trouble sitting because of it." Harry snickered at Hermione's punishment; he couldn't help it. It was just too funny to imagine. "But ever since then things between us had been… different. I started seeing more and more of how he was really treating me and I just didn't like it. It was like he was turning me into his caregiver or mother or something."

"Why didn't you just leave then?" Harry questioned as he picked up a straggling kid that had lagged back from his mother.

"I was," Hermione said as she stepped around a small dip in the road. "Slowly. I didn't want to just up and leave and then have to be in constant contact with him because of the war. Then you came back but said you weren't staying and I figured that if you could leave then why couldn't I? After two years of making amends with each other I thought that there was a reasonable chance of you agreeing to let me come with so I wrote Ron a note saying that I was leaving, not who with or where to, just that I was leaving and went out to meet you."

"What would you have done if I had said no?" Harry asked as he looked behind them to see if there were any signs of pursuit, gladdened to see none. "He was the one running out to us after all."

"I probably would have stunned him and made my way to the boundary line before Apparating to a place where he couldn't find me." Hermione said with an unconcerned shrug.

Harry nodded in understanding but didn't bother making a comment, as he didn't really have one. They walked a ways in silence and Harry finally passed off the little boy he had picked up back to his mother. Another hour passed in peace before their semi peaceful trek encountered problems. Harry froze mid-step as the hair on the back of his neck stood on end, an indicator of his lifelong companion of danger. He looked around the plains they were crossing but saw nothing. It wasn't until he saw the shadow pass over everyone before he reacted.

"Atra du deloi rïsa!" Harry commanded in the ancient language, pulling on his reserve of energy in the black diamond in Bhuailteoir's pummel and the willingly given energy from Scáth's Eldunarí. Dozens of spikes rose from the earth surrounding the fleeing villagers and startling them all at the same time. The spikes rose over a hundred feet in the air before crossing each other to create a stone cage with sharp and deadly points sticking out at the top."Everyone get down!" He called, his voice amplified slightly by a nonverbal spell.

"What's wrong?" Remus questioned as he made his way over to Harry.

"We're about to have company." Harry said as he scanned the sky through the slats in their protective cage. He barely saw a figure moving across the sky. "You and Hermione stay here and cast as many spells as you can to keep this cage strong and invisible to protect the villagers."

"What're you going to do?" Hermione asked even as she drew her wand.

"I'm going to see if I can drive off the Ra'zac before they do any damage." Harry said with a smirk.

Before the other two could muster a response, Harry turned and darted through one of the slats in the giant cage. Hermione rushed after him but pulled up short when he was nowhere in sight. Instead, the only thing around was a gorgeous black raven with strange markings. It had a white spot on the inside of its right wing and its left had a strip of silver feathering running through the middle of its wing. Stunned, but not all together surprised, Hermione smirked and turned back into the protective cage and helped Remus with the spells.

Harry flapped his wings and rose higher into the sky towards the two shadows that were circling above. Using the skills he acquired from possessing a Shadow Eldunarí, Harry concealed his mind so no one would notice that he was anything but a raven with strange markings. Scáth was adamantly trying to talk Harry out of doing what he had planned due to the exhaustion brought on by performing such massive magic mere seconds before, but Harry was just as adamant about doing it since Scáth couldn't come to his aid. It was high noon and the nearest source of shadows was Du Weldenvarden which was still over twenty leagues away, much too far for the dragon to be of any assistance.

Harry flew higher and higher until he was flying a few dozen feet over the Ra'zac and their mounts, the Lethrblaka, the adult and full grown form of the Ra'zac. So intent were the Ra'zac upon searching the ground for their prey that none of them noticed the seemingly innocent bird that circled them. So confident were the hunters that they held no fear of being prey themselves. Upon seeing his opening, Harry entered a steep dive, aiming straight for one of the Lethrblaka's side. About ten feet before he would've made impact, Harry transformed back into a human and drew his swords. Before the Lethrblaka and Ra'zac mount could even register what was going on, Harry had flown past, digging Bhuailteoir into the Ra'zac's hip and sliced through the wing joint and membrane of the Lethrblaka with his other sword.

Parent and child (if they could be called such) screeched in agony. Both looked around wildly for the culprit of their pain but saw only the vast expanse of land beneath them and an innocent looking raven with strange markings floating about on the winds below. The other pair had looked over when the screeching had reached them but also saw nothing out of the ordinary and the two in pain were too blinded by it to notice as the raven switched course. Harry flew directly up at the uninjured Lethrblaka, transformed, dug his blades into the beasts belly before releasing and darting off again in his raven form.

The Lethrblaka and Ra'zac were screeching and clacking in panic, shock, and pain. Harry floated silently back towards the earth as the Lethrblaka wobbled away, the one with the nearly severed wing trying desperately to stay airborne long enough to get a safe distance away before landing with a heavy thud and painful screech. Harry watched from his perch on top of one of the spikes of the cage that was protecting the villagers until both Lethrblaka landed almost three leagues away, the one with the pierced abdomen collapsing onto the ground and bleeding heavily.

_Now what? _Scáth questioned seriously.

_Now we wait. _Harry answered in kind, as he kept his eyes on the shifting forms. He couldn't see much of what they were doing given the distance but because of his form and the uniform flatness he could see enough to know they were moving about. _They can't use magic so unless Galbatorix gave them something to heal their wounds, which is unlikely given their skills, then they will be down for some time. I would prefer to move on but I don't want to risk the remaining Ra'zac seeing everyone and coming after us, especially at night when they are strongest. We are defensible here, especially if they do have something to heal their wounds._

_You should not have drained yourself the way you did. _Scáth reprimanded angrily but with a great deal of concern in his voice. _It could have rendered you unconscious, even with the assistance of your reserves and me. _

_I know Scáth, _Harry said with a small sigh through his black beak. _But what else was I supposed to have done that wouldn't have taken longer and allowed the Ra'zac to descend upon the villagers or exposed me as a foreigner to Alagaësia? _

_I suppose nothing but just as you presume to be my caretaker, I can presume to be yours, _Scáth said with endless amusement and smug satisfaction in his voice. _I don't want you using anymore magic until you have fully recovered, even your kind of magic._

_Am I supposed to stay a raven for the rest of the day then? _Harry questioned in amusement. He wasn't the least bit offended by Scáth using his own tactics against himself, merely amused.

_I would say yes but that wouldn't be advisable given the Ra'zac's proximity. _Scáth said just to make a point but there was a longsuffering tone to his voice.

_I love you my shadow,_ Harry said with a smirk as he floated down to the ground and turned back into himself.

_And I you my crazy Rider. _Scáth said as he withdrew from the contact and going back to sleep in order to regain the energy he had expanded by flying three days straight to return to Ellesméra and inform Oromis and Glaedr of their return. _And quit it! _Scáth said, suddenly returning to full contact with Harry's mind. _I hate it when you start thinking like that. It means no end of trouble and a massive headache for everyone involved._

"Excuse me!" Harry said with a huffing laugh just out of ear shot of everyone hiding inside the protective cage.

_You know what I'm talking about, _Scáth said firmly before withdrawing a second time.

"Who're you talking to Harry?" Hermione questioned as she poked her head between the slats.

"Scáth," Harry said as he moved forward and back into the shelter. "He seems to think that every time I start thinking, trouble starts brewing."

"Something he and I can agree on," Hermione said with a smirk and a chuckle that caused Harry to burst into giggles of his own. He knew all too well that they both spoke the truth. Every time he got an idea in his head it usually resulted in one gigantic headache, even for himself. "How are you communicating with him from so far away though?"

"Just a little trick I know," Harry said with a sly wink. "So what kind of spells do you have in place?"

"About a dozen strengthening charms on each pillar," Hermione said, recognizing that Harry wouldn't elaborate on how he could communicate with Scáth when they were so far apart. "We also set up several wards just outside the perimeter to keep people from noticing the encampment and from entering it. They're weak wards but we layered them to make them stronger."

"Good," Harry said with a nod as he examined the pillar next to him. "I'll add a few of my own in a little while when I've regained my strength." Hermione nodded in understanding. She was about to ask something else but Roran came up and interrupted.

"What happened?" He asked looking at Harry and trying not to marvel at the structure around them. He had been just as impressed when Harry had frozen a section of the Anora River to allow them to cross without having to get wet.

"The Ra'zac and their flying mounts finally caught up with us," Harry explained as he glanced back out at the plains for any sign of pursuit. "They must've caught some sort of sign that told them which direction we left the village in. We must've missed some of our tacks between Carvahall and the Anora."

"Given Remus and I were the only ones obliterating tracks and there is about two hundred villagers plus horses I wouldn't be surprised if we did," Hermione said with a thoughtful look on her face. "Especially when you consider the fact that we had to do that for almost a hundred miles."

"Are they still around?" Roran asked as he fingered the head of the hammer he had come to use as his primary weapon. "Or can we move on?"

"They're wounded and about ten miles south tending to their injuries," Harry explained. "One of the Ra'zac isn't wounded so it would be ill advised for us to start moving and then get caught out in the open at night when they are stronger."

"I'll tell everyone to start setting up camp then," Roran said as he wandered off to do exactly that.

"So," Hermione said as Remus made his way over to them. "When did you become an animagus?"

Harry sighed and looked away uncomfortably. "Middle of fifth year." He said with sadness in his voice. "I had been looking into it ever since first year when we saw McGonagall transform but I had never really started doing anything about it until third when Sirius entered the picture. I figured that, heaven forbid, if I had ever found myself in a situation like his then it would be beneficial to be an animagus so as to be able to do what he did. I had been so excited when I accomplished it that I couldn't wait to tell Sirius but I didn't want to put it in a letter and I had achieved it after the Christmas holidays."

"I'm sorry your achievement was marred by such a year Harry," Remus said as he brought the youth into a hug. Hermione sighed sadly and came up to hug them both. "But I can assure you that Sirius would have been proud of you and just as excited, as would your parents."

"Thanks," Harry said with a grin as he enjoyed the hug for a few minutes before pulling away and started going over patrol plans with the two.

–Scene Break–

Scáth yawned mightily as he finally woke up fully rested from his extended flight from Carvahall to Ellesméra. It was the same night after Harry had driven off the Ra'zac to protect the villagers. They were still currently holed up in the stone cage with patrols running in shifts of two hours. So far as Harry could tell, the Ra'zac hadn't moved from where they had landed and neither of them would be entirely surprised if one of the Lethrblaka had died from its wounds, namely the one that Harry had pierced in the abdomen as its wounds were the more serious.

"Scáth?" Someone called causing said dragon to pause in the middle of a rather feline-like stretch.

_Ebrithil, _Scáth greeted in mild surprise when Oromis came walking through the door that led to the bedroom of the tree house he was staying in, the one he and Harry had shared during their first stay in the forest city. A moment later Scáth remembered his manners, which he had completely disregarded when he arrived on the Crags, and initiated the proper greeting that the elves used whenever they interact with each other. _I was not expecting you to come over this evening. _He said when they had finished the greeting.

"Yes," Oromis said with a nod. Scáth detected a strange tone in the elf's voice but he couldn't quite identify it. "I would've spoken to you sooner but you needed rest and I needed to think things over with Glaedr before I talked with you."

_About what Master? _Scáth questioned in curiosity.

"About the fact that you disgorged your Eldunarí," Oromis said in an uncharacteristically blunt manner.

_What of it? _Scáth said with forced civility, though his voice was rather stiff. It was a sensitive enough subject to talk about but Scáth had never planned on divulging to anyone, not one person that he had given Harry his heart of hearts. He and Harry had even gone so far as to swear to each other in the Ancient Language to never speak of it to anyone but themselves in case they had ever found themselves in a situation where someone was trying to force information out of them.

"I'm assuming you gave it to Harry but we, Glaedr and myself, were wondering why when Glaedr impressed upon you the seriousness of such an object and the potential dangers a dragon's Eldunarí posed in the wrong hands." Oromis said, a hint of disapproval entering his voice. He didn't know the power of a Shadow Eldunarí, none but the Shadow Dragons did, but an Eldunarí was dangerous regardless.

_Master,_ Scáth said in the Ancient Language. He did his best to remain calm but his oath and his own agitation at being discovered. _Firstly, I've no intention of being rude so if I at any point come across as such I apologize in advance. Second, you must understand that my words are limited due to a precautionary oath Harry and I both agreed to swear to prevent any damaging information from getting into the wrong hands._

"A wise decision I suppose," Oromis said after a moment's thought and an understanding look on his face.

_Quite, _Scáth responded with a slight nod of his head. _Now, you should know that my… decision was not made on a simple whim or out of a desire to impress anyone or anything. It was done in an attempt to make us stronger and so that I may always be an aid to my Rider if we find ourselves in different places, as we are now. Furthermore, _he continued somewhat pointedly before Oromis could interrupt, as he had been about to do. _You should also know that while my ancestral memories of Alagaësia have dwindled to almost nothing due to my confinement during The Fall, my ancient memories of the Shadow Race, we dragons who walk in the dark, are as strong as ever since they feed off something separate than the earth. As opposed to the memories of Alagaësia the Shadow Memories are a detailed record of every Shadow Dragon that came before. They can only be accessed at certain times since that much information would drive even a dragon to insanity but at the moment that isn't pertinent. In short, I knew what I was doing and I trust Harry implicitly, as he does me. Thus far I do not regret or even question my decision and I do not expect to._

"If this is the case Scáth, then the bond you share with Harry is stronger than either Glaedr or I previously thought," Oromis relented, not offended in the slightest by Scáth's unrelenting tone or the way he had cut him off when he had attempted to respond in the middle of Scáth's speech. "You cannot blame me though for being concerned. The Eldunarí could prove disastrous in the wrong hands."

_I understand and am not offended. _Scáth said.

"I also came up here to inform you of Islanzadí's decision to deploy a battalion of about forty elves to meet up with Harry and the villagers." Oromis said as he looked out the giant tear drop window at the sea of green. "She agrees with the potential danger presented if Galbatorix were to get a hold of Eragon's cousin. They were deployed yesterday from one of our western outpost and she only had a chance to tell me this afternoon. I attempted to contact Harry right away to inform him but I could neither locate his mind nor locate him when I attempted to scry him. Do you know why?"

_Yes, _Scáth said as he approached the tear drop window and prepared to take flight. _The Ra'zac finally caught up with him and the other villagers this afternoon. He managed to fend them off but has been shielding his presence ever since so as to level the field a little, since the Ra'zac are still in the vicinity._

"Then let us hope that our warriors reach them soon." Oromis said gravely. "I take it you are leaving to go back to him."

_Yes, _Scáth answered simply.

"Very well," Oromis said with an understanding nod. "Before you go though, know this: your teachers are proud of you. I don't think anyone, not even Galbatorix, progressed through the Rider's training as quickly as you two have, nor as ethically. Both of you have done the Rider legacy proud."

Scáth rumbled in embarrassment and mumbled a quick thank you before taking off into the night. He didn't wait very long before slipping through the shadows and reappearing above the encampment where Harry and the villagers were barely sleeping under the shroud of fear. He glided silently down and alighted upon the top of the stone cage, which only held his support because of the nearly sixty strengthening charms on each pillar. Despite his size, Scáth hadn't made a single sound. In spite of this, seconds after he had folded his wings a raven perched itself upon one of his ebony horns that curled its way over his head.

_If you were not you,_ Scáth said with some mild amusement in his voice as he looked towards his horns, though he couldn't really see them. _I would be tempted to eat you for daring to perch there._ The raven cawed in apparent laughter before gliding down to the mass of spikes and transforming into Harry.

"I don't think you would enjoy eating a raven," Harry said with amusement and an unrepentant smirk on his face. "Too many feathers."

_Then I would roast it before hand. _Scáth said confidently, making Harry chuckle in amusement. _Did you hear what Oromis said?_

"Yes I was listening," Harry said with a nod as he turned his eyes to the east, the direction of Du Weldenvarden. "I was not expecting to meet up with a host of elves before we even reached the forest, though I suppose it is beneficial that we do, especially with the Ra'zac so near."

_Have you seen or heard anything of them since you attacked them? _Scáth questioned as he turned his own gaze south where the Ra'zac and Lethrblaka had last been seen.

_No, _Harry said grimly. _I attempted to scry them when it got too dark but Galbatorix must have placed spells around them so they couldn't be spied on or it is a natural part of their genetic makeup, like the way their minds can't be detected. Can you see anything? _

Scáth remained quiet for a few moments as he scanned the night horizon. _No. _He said finally. _There aren't any fires lit and they are too well apt at hiding in the night for me to see anything._

"That's troubling." Harry said with some slight nervousness to his voice as he turned to match Scáth's gaze.

"What is Harry?" Hermione asked as she floated her way up between the slats of the cage and perched herself on top of one of the spires. "Hello Scáth," she added when she noticed the dragon, who very nearly blended in with the surrounding darkness. She sounded as if it was the most natural thing in the world but in reality she had been a little startled since she hadn't been expecting the dragon to be there.

"The Ra'zac," Harry explained as he absently fingered Bhuailteoir's pummel, a habit similar to when his hands clenched for his wand during times of stress. "There's been no sign of them since I drove them off and I know for a fact that one of them is uninjured and one of the Lethrblaka is at least well enough to move around on foot."

"Do we have no way of detecting their presence?" Hermione questioned in concern as she looked down towards all the people that were trying and mostly failing to get some rest.

"I could try a spell in the ancient language but I do not think that it would work," Harry said with a shake of his head. "Our magic isn't known in this world so there is no defense for it or a way around it. We should be safe here as long as we remain within the boundaries of the wards."

_Do you sense that? _Scáth suddenly asked as he looked about in great concern.

"I'd hold on to something if I were you Hermione," Harry said in a panic as he suddenly conjured chains and strapped himself to a nearby stone pillar. Hermione didn't bother to question and simply did as Harry had done.

Scáth took to the air mere seconds before the ground started to quake. It was no natural quake for even the air seemed to tremble. Birds that had been roosting in a nearby tree squawked in protest and scattered in all directions. Harry clung for dear life as the pillars that had been protecting them all were suddenly turned against them as they shook and vibrated with the earth. Hermione squealed as she nearly fell from her perch but managed to hang on. The villagers all woke from their restless sleep and started crying out in fear, never having experienced an earthquake before.

"What the hell is going on?" Harry shouted over the roaring of the earth when the quake refused to stop.

_It is Galbatorix! _Umaroth suddenly spoke within Harry's mind. _He has finally discovered the absence of Fëon's and Fírnen's eggs. The remaining Ra'zac also just informed him that its partner and both Lethrblaka are dead._

"Shit!" Harry sworn violently in response to both the information and the fact that some of the pillars began to crack. He quickly drew his wand and started casting spells. _How many does he have to be able to do something like this? _He questioned mentally. He knew that the Eldunarí that he and Scáth had encountered when they had first returned to Alagaësia a few days ago must be in the king's hands and the source of his strength but he didn't think the man was _this_ strong.

_Hundreds, _Umaroth said gravely. Harry and Scáth both could sense great dread coming from the Eldunarí. _If not thousands. He took all but a few when he destroyed the Riders. _Harry paused in his spell casting when he heard that. Just one single Eldunarí had augmented his strength to unbelievable proportions; he couldn't imagine the power that _thousands_ would give someone, particularly Galbatorix. He remembered Umaroth tell him this a few days ago when they had returned to Alagaësia but he just hadn't fully comprehended what he had been told.

_If he has that many and has discovered the theft then we all must prepare for all out war._ Scáth said as he circled overhead so he wasn't bumbling on the ground because of the quake. _Go Harry. I can see the elves from up here. They are only a few hours away. I will stay and protect the villagers until they have arrived. I will catch up with Remus and Hermione once we have a chance._

_Are you sure? _Harry questioned in concern as he looked up to his bonded.

_No but it must be done. _Scáth said seriously. _We must be able to predict his movements. _Harry sighed but didn't argue against the logic. He looked to Hermione, who looked back. She recognized the look and started to protest but Harry didn't give her a chance. He banished his chains and leapt off the cage and out of sight.


	12. Chapter 12: To Sing A Song

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing but my OC's

**A/N: **Omg! It has been far too long since I posted a chapter for this fic! I had completely lost track that I hadn't posted chapter twelve that I started working on 13, thinking that it was the most current chapter! Sorry guys! Hope you're not too mad about the wait. Here's two chapters to help make up for my slip. Please review and let me know what you think.

Happy readings!

* * *

CHAPTER TWELVE: TO SING A SONG

Harry transformed in the middle of his jump and immediately vanished into the Shadow Realm. He flew through the impenetrable darkness for a few minutes, encountering mild resistance given the wards surrounding Du Weldenvarden preventing anything from entering the forest through magical means, but since Shadow Travel wasn't commonly considered, Harry was able to come out unharmed on the other side. He flew straight down towards the cliffs that he had appeared over and landed right in front of a snoozing Glaedr. The earth wasn't trembling here but Harry could feel the wards in the air straining to prevent Galbatorix's rage induced magic from affecting the forest.

"Ebrithil," Harry greeted in a slight panic but calmly enough so as to not startle the sleeping dragon. As it was, Glaedr's giant eye snapped open with a resounding click and the only evidence of his surprise was the extreme contraction of his pupils. "I apologize for waking you Ebrithil but we have a serious problem on our hands."

_How so? _Glaedr questioned with only mild irritation in his voice at having been woken from his nap. He yawned widely, displaying his many sharp white fangs. _I thought Scáth just left to return to your side._

"He did but moments after he arrived it was revealed that Galbatorix has discovered my theft of the last two dragon eggs," Harry explained and went on to further detail what exactly had transpired in the mere moments after Scáth had left Ellesméra and before Harry had shadowed to the Crags of Tel'naeir.

_If what you are saying is true,_ Glaedr said as he closely examined the man before him. Harry could tell that he didn't buy Harry's story completely, which was fair since Harry hadn't been entirely honest as he had to leave out the bit about Umaroth informing him of the situation. _Then Galbatorix will likely launch an assault fairly soon. Oromis will inform the queen. I suggest you rouse Arya and the others. We can only thank the stars that this has happened now as opposed to a few weeks ago as they have all reached a point in their training where they are ready for battle._

"What about Eragon's back?" Harry questioned in confusion. The last time he had checked, Eragon was still injured and couldn't do anything overly strenuous or else he would induce an attack that would render him immobile and sometimes unconscious. It was an effect of a curse that Durza had laid into his flesh when he split it open.

_It was healed during the Agaetí Blödhren, _Glaedr answered as he stood up. _None of us know how but he is now more elf than human. He appears as he would if he had spent decades as a Rider instead of only a few months. Now go, we must prepare. _

Harry didn't bother to continue conversing with the dragon and merely transformed again and took off towards Ellesméra, surprising Glaedr as he did so since he hadn't been expecting Harry to turn into an entirely different species. Harry flew fast towards the heart of the pinewood city. He was anxious about being back and though he knew he should probably head to the others first he made a beeline straight for Murtagh's and Fëon's tree house. He should have gone to the base of the tree and entered that way but he knew time was short so he entered straight through the large teardrop window and landed on the floor with a soft flap of his wings before transforming.

Like most tree houses that had been made to house visiting Rider's, Murtagh's quarters were similar to Harry's with a giant depression in the floor for Fëon to sleep in and a bed for Murtagh. Unfortunately, Murtagh had a habit similar to Harry's and never slept in the bed, choosing instead to sleep with his dragon, who was curled around him with her wing draped over them creating a tent. Harry smirked and cautiously approached the sleeping pair. He tapped lightly on the closest scale on Fëon's neck. When he received no reaction Harry tapped a little harder. After a third tap Fëon finally stirred and pulled her head out from underneath her wing.

_Harry? _Fëon questioned in surprise after a toothy yawn and she recognized the figure that had woken her.

"Hello Fëon," Harry greeted with a warm smile. "I'm sorry to wake you but something's happened and you and Murtagh need to prepare."

_Did the villagers not make it to the forest? _Fëon questioned as she became slightly more awake and folded up her wing.

"No the villagers are fine," Harry said as he moved over to where Murtagh was laying against Fëon's side and attempted to rouse the other man from his sleep. A small blush spread across his face as he covertly admired Murtagh's shirtless torso. He certainly was fit for only being eighteen. His stomach was well defined in a strong six pack that blended nicely into his chest. Murtagh's arms were well defined as well and very muscular, though not so much as to be considered disproportionate to the rest of his body. It took all of Harry's self restraint not to run a hand over the delicious and tempting body and to limit himself to only laying a hand on Murtagh's shoulder to wake him up.

"Harry?" Murtagh questioned sleepily as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

"Hey," Harry said with a happy smile as he stared down at the man he had come to care for. "Sorry but you need to get up. Galbatorix finally noticed the disappearance of you and Fírnen. He's already been marshalling his forces but with his fury at loosing you two he'll likely set an attack as soon as he can think clearly again."

"How did you find that out?" Murtagh questioned in both shock and fear, despite his happiness at seeing Harry again.

"Well for starters he's making the ground shake," Harry said in all seriousness as he stood and helped Murtagh to his feet. "For seconds a little birdie told me. Can you two handle waking Arya and Eragon? I have something that I have to do to help mitigate the damage this situation is about to cause."

"Well yeah but aren't you going to fight with us?" Murtagh questioned, his voice laced with just enough sadness for Harry to detect. They both knew that their responsibilities would come first but that didn't mean that it hurt slightly for Harry to just appear after being gone for almost three months and then disappear again.

"Oh don't you worry about me," Harry said as he leaned in and kissed Murtagh gently but firmly on the lips. "I wouldn't dare be left out."

"TEASE!" Murtagh called loudly after Harry as said boy went dashing towards the teardrop window and leapt out. He hadn't seen Harry transform and had so assumed that the raven he had seen flying away was just a raven and had figured that Harry had used some spell to cushion his fall and had already darted off into the pines. He did, however, look up when the raven cawed at him, almost as if it were laughing.

_Wait,_ Umaroth said just before Harry was about to shadow and breaking his concentration.

_What is it? _Harry questioned in curiosity. He could sense the seriousness in the Eldunarí's voice and he couldn't help but wonder what was going on now.

_Return to Vroengard before you head to Ilirea,_ Umaroth answered. _If the war is about to devolve and Galbatorix is about to fight in the open then our help will be needed._

Harry didn't question and immediately slipped into the shadows once again. When he came out on the other side he stumbled slightly at the drain on his energy but managed to remain airborne. Given the complexity of Shadow Travel it was generally only safe to do it once as the more you did it the faster it drained the user's energy and the more energy it required, which is why Harry hadn't wanted Scáth to shadow to Ellesméra when they had first arrived as they had already travelled twice.

_Here, _Umaroth said as he imparted a picture to Harry along with a surge of energy to compensate for the loss. Harry glided down towards the mountain at the very heart of the island, Mount Erolas. He made his way down towards the mountains base and, following the directions of Umaroth, landed in front of an archway that was set into the mountain side. _This is the Rock of Kuthian. It guards the entrance to our hiding place. To move it you must speak your true name._

_Hell of a lock! _Harry said, impressed despite the fact that he was also irritated. _You'll be sitting in there for some time if that's the case. I haven't even the slightest idea of what my name would be._

_Our help will be needed so you must evaluate your life and discover your name as soon as possible, _Umaroth said firmly and then withdrew to allow Harry to think.

Harry grumbled in annoyance. He didn't want to think about his life. Up until he discovered Scáth's egg his life hadn't been the most pleasant of experiences and he didn't like dwelling on it. Scáth felt his distress but could only offer a distant, mental hug. Harry sighed and sat down with his back to the mountain wall. He closed his eyes and started to meditate. His meditation was focused inwards on himself but he still kept a mental watch over the immediate area given where he was.

It took Harry several moments just to calm his erratic thoughts. He had to use a combination of Occlumency and techniques that Oromis had taught him just to be able to think. When he finally regained order in his mind, Harry reluctantly turned his thoughts towards his life, going back as far as he could remember and even incorporating what little he knew of what had happened when he was only a year old and of the prophecy that Trelawney had made about him.

Time slowly ticked by as Harry sat there like a statue, the only evidence that he was alive was his low and steady breathing. Finally, when Aiedail was just cresting the horizon Harry's eyes snapped open revealing a mass of conflicted feelings. There was no doubt in any corner of his mind that he had found his name for just the thought of it resonated to every corner and fiber of his being. The conflict that arose from the meaning of the name and how he felt about it was an entirely different story however.

"Du Súndav Abr Wyrda," Harry said aloud, deciding, for the time being, to not think about the fact that his name was The Shadow of Fate. At the sound of his true name the Rock of Kuthian gave a loud thud like snap and slid out of the way.

_Think of it like this, _Scáth said as Harry stood and made his way through the doorway and down into the earth. _You are the one who creates change, the one who walks besides fate and changes the world. _

Harry paused mid-step as that sunk in. A smile slowly spread over his face. _I love you my shadow._

Scáth rumbled in pleasure and returned the affection as Harry resumed his decent into the earth. He walked deeper and deeper below the earth's surface until Harry began to think that he had gone over a mile. After almost two hours of continuous walking, Harry saw a glowing light appear, marking the end to the long tunnel. When he got close enough he realized that he had entered a large cavern with a pit in the middle that opened to lake of magma that gave light to the cavern and made it warmer than it should have been. Surrounding the walls of the cavern, on shelves and the floor, were at least two hundred dragon eggs and at least half that in Eldunarí.

"Welcome Du Súndav Abr Wyrda," A voice said from the shadows to Harry's right. Harry started at both the voice and the use of his true name and turned to see who had spoken. "Fear not for your name for all names are safe here." The figure said as it walked out of the shadows. It was a body made entirely out of metal with the head of a dragon. It carried a sword in his right hand and shield in his left. His body was so muscular that it reminded Harry of a Kull's body. The sword he carried was iridescent and reminded Harry of a Rider's blade. "I am Cuaroc."

"Uh, hi," Harry said elegantly as he marveled at the creature before him. "If I may… what… are you?" He didn't want to offend Cuaroc but his curiosity was getting the better of him.

"An Eldunarí," Cuaroc said with an amused chuckle, not offended by Harry's blunt curiosity. "I was given a new body by an enchantress and have been down here for the past century guarding this hoard until the time when Galbatorix shall be defeated."

"I bet that's been a big ball of fun," Harry said sarcastically as he thought over just how utterly _bored_ the Eldunarí and dragon eggs must have been over the past hundred years, being trapped beneath the earth with nothing to do. His sarcasm incited a rumbling laughter from Cuaroc.

"I have been informed of the situation," Cuaroc said, turning serious and addressing to the subject at hand. "Only the Eldunarí may leave hear but these four are to stay behind to help guard the eggs." Cuaroc gestured to four large and differently colored gem like stones.

Harry nodded in understanding before turning his attention towards the other hundred and thirty two Eldunarí that lined the room. He pondered for a moment over how he was supposed to cart around over a hundred objects that varied in size, some of which were larger than Glaedr's platter-sized eyes. It didn't help that unlike Scáth's Eldunarí, which was currently an earring that was permanently attached to his right ear; these Eldunarí couldn't change shape or size. Eventually, Harry knelt down and released his trunk from the necklace he wore around his neck. He pulled out his wand and opened the lid. He spent the next few minutes altering the bottomless expansion charm he had placed on his trunk the summer before fourth year.

When he finally finished creating a section in his trunk specifically for the Eldunarí, a section that mirrored the room he was currently in, Harry stood and started pointing his wand at the various Eldunarí. They floated off the ground or shelves and made their way over to Harry, where they were gently lowered into his trunk, which easily swallowed them all. After the last Eldunarí, minus Cuaroc and the four he had said must remain in order to protect the last dragon eggs in Alagaësia, Harry returned his trunk to his necklace. Harry nodded to Cuaroc before transforming back into a raven and flying back out of the room and then out of the earth entirely. The Rock of Kuthian sealed shut behind Harry but he ignored it as he rose higher into the morning sky. The sun hadn't fully risen yet but it was starting to crest the horizon.

_I do not have the strength to shadow a third time, _Harry said to the Eldunarí he felt around his neck but specifically to Umaroth. _I will need assistance in order to get to Ilirea._

Harry didn't actively receive a response but he almost immediately received an influx of enormous power from Umaroth and he quickly felt his fatigue fade before he slipped through the shadows and reappeared over the black city of Urû'baen. His open mind quickly picked up on the thousand screaming Eldunarí that Galbatorix possessed but because he was using the shadows to shield the very existence of his mind he didn't fear discovery. However, he did close off his mind to all but Scáth and the other Eldunarí in his possession. If he didn't then he would be incapable of functioning due to the simple rage coming from the thousand other dragon hearts.

_You know this place yes? _Harry questioned Umaroth, since he was the only Eldunarí that had actually deigned to speak with him yet.

_My memories are distant but yes I know it, _Umaroth answered with some sadness in his voice. _A few of the younger dragons know it as well. Galbatorix will likely be in the throne room, which thankfully has a balcony you can perch on in order to spy on his plans. _

_Perfect,_ Harry said with a mental smirk. He folded his wings and dived straight for the castle that sat in the center of the city. Following the directions of Umaroth and a few of the other Eldunarí, Harry quickly located the appropriate balcony near the center of the elegant looking castle and silently landed on the railing at such an angle to the open doors that he could only be noticed if someone was positioned just right and deliberately looking out the doors.

"I don't care if your men are tired," an oily and heated voice sounded from within the room almost immediately after Harry had landed. "I want them ready to deploy and out of this city by noon or they will not see the end of this day!"

"Yes sir!" Someone else, likely a soldier of sort, barked out before there was a loud clanking followed by the sound of marching feet that slowly drifted away. Harry shifted his position slightly to give him a better view of the room, but making sure that the identifying silver strip of feathers on his left wing was facing away from the doors. He was glad to see that the throne in the middle of the room was facing away from the balcony.

_Such arrogance, _Harry commented as he pecked at the stone railing, acting like a real raven to any who bothered to glance his way.

_Indeed, that throne was not there during the time of the Riders. _Umaroth said with tightly leashed anger. _This was just the place that the real king held his court in when he wore the crown. Galbatorix has obviously altered the castle during the past century._

"Ssssssssssire," a hissing voice sounded before Harry could respond. A shiver ran down Harry's spine and he recognized the slight clacking to the voice. He looked up and saw the cloaked figure of the last Ra'zac standing at an angle to the throne, where Harry presumed Galbatorix sat. "If you would allow me, I could–"

"No." Galbatorix stated firmly and with no room for argument. "This mysterious Rider has caused enough damage and I'll not risk you. He has made a mockery of every one of my faithful servants, even a Shade who is more powerful than you. You will stay by my side until I release you. Especially since this Rider killed not only both Lethrblaka but your mate as well."

_I must've nicked a vein in the wing I damaged, _Harry said absently. He hadn't thought that the wound he had inflicted would've been bad enough to kill the creature but evidently he had been wrong.

"What I want to know though," Galbatorix said dangerously as he stood up and marched towards the right side of the room. "Is how a complete stranger, a previously unknown Rider, managed to sneak into this castle and steal the last of my eggs!"

"My king I swear–" whoever had spoken was cut off when Galbatorix lashed out and smacked the person.

"There was every conceivable form of protection around those eggs," Galbatorix snarled angrily as he started to pace in agitation. "Even the tunnel that the last thief used had been collapsed so how could he have gotten in unless you let them?"

"I swear I didn't!" The man, a guard presumably, protested loudly and desperately. "You know I couldn't. Our oaths forbid betrayal. We serve you and you alone sire!"

"Put him in a cell," Galbatorix bit out angrily, apparently having seen the truth in the man's words but not about to let the poor man off the hook entirely. The two soldiers that had been standing guard over the man immediately picked him up and dragged him away. "What else do you know of this Rider?"

"Not much," the Ra'zac clacked angrily. "Only what hassss already been reported. He appearsssssss to be very ssssssssskilled though. To get away with humiliating a Shade is no sssssmall feat but to get the jump on usssss, twice, ssssspeaksss of greater ssskillssss yet. It would be folly to under estimate one thissss Rider."

"How did he get the jump on you the second time? You said that his dragon was nowhere to be seen." Galbatorix questioned, rounding on the Ra'zac, his black eyes boring into the hooded creature and revealing the depths of his madness and anger.

The Ra'zac clacked nervously and angrily a few times. "I don't know." The creature clacked several more times in agitation before continuing. "We had noticed a few ssssscarce trackssssss of the villagerssss heading easssst but they must've been desssssstroying their trackssss sssssssomehow and we only caught the few. We took to the air after them thinking we would have the advantage. When we caught up a cage appeared out of nowhere. A few momentssssssss later we were attacked by him and him alone. Hissssssss dragon wasssss not involved."

"Impossible!" the king snapped furiously. "I know secrets that would make the elves tremble in fear but neither they nor I could or would attempt to transport ourselves miles into the air with magic. Durza was the only one mad enough to attempt such a thing and he only did so once; when he was humiliated by this very same Rider!"

"Perhapssssss he hasssss knowledge of magic that you do not," the Ra'zac suggested and instantly regretted it. In a fit of maddened furry, the king whipped out his blade and severed the creature's head. The Ra'zac fell limply to the ground, spilling black blood all over the floor.

_It's a wonder how he has managed to convince anyone to follow him and his goals, _Harry remarked as he flapped silently over to a surprisingly well maintained bush that stood in a pot on the balcony.

_He may be as mad as a hornet, _Umaroth responded seriously. _But he is cunning as well. When he is not enraged every word that falls from his lips is like a snakes poison._

_Oh I've no doubt about that, _Harry said as he watched the king pace back and forth. _But you'd have to be pretty weak to fall for them._

"Send word to the south," Galbatorix ordered suddenly to one of the guards in the room. "They're to attack without impunity. I want Surda to be nothing but a pile of ash!"

"Sir!" the guard responded before quickly marching from the room.

_Did you catch that? _Harry questioned.

_Yes,_ Scáth replied succinctly. _I will have an elf send word to Nasuada so they may prepare. _

_See if you might discover the whereabouts of Eragon, Murtagh, and Arya as well, they will likely be needed,_ Harry said before withdrawing from the connection and returning his attention to his surroundings.

Galbatorix was still pacing back and forth in obvious agitation. Eventually the man stormed towards the main doors. Harry quickly focused as hard as he could and casted a tracking spell over the king, knowing that it wouldn't be detected given that no one knew about his type of magic outside of a select few. He had never before performed magic while in his animagus form and was therefore grateful when he felt it take root. Harry took off from his bush and circled over the castle, waiting for Galbatorix to stop moving.

After about ten minutes Harry's spell finally stated that Galbatorix had stopped at the top of one of the castles spires. Unfortunately there wasn't a balcony for Harry to perch on but there were several windows, one of which was open. Harry carefully perched on the glass that was extending towards the exterior of the spire. He couldn't see much of the room inside but he didn't need to. He could see, lined up against the edge of the room, several Eldunarí.

"Who is he?" Galbatorix demanded angrily. Harry immediately extended his shadowed mind towards the Eldunarí, carefully skirting the edges of Galbatorix's mind just enough to listen in on his conversation with the Eldunarí.

_We do not know, _a deep and bitter sounding voice responded after several minutes of silence, during which Harry presumed the Eldunarí were conversing with each other. _As you asked we have searched several times for his mind but have been unable to locate him. There have been times when we seem to come close to finding it but end up discovering only darkness. _

"How is that possible?" Galbatorix questioned in a growling voice.

_No Rider has before been able to do what this one does. _A different Eldunarí spoke, this one sounding even more ancient than the first. _By all the laws of magic it should be impossible._

_That's odd, _Umaroth said in confusion and speculation.

_What? _Harry asked as he divided his time between listening to Galbatorix rant and rave in anger and fury at not having the answers he needed and wanted and Umaroth.

_Well,_ Umaroth said somewhat hesitantly, still piecing together his thoughts. _Galbatorix has likely spent the past century breaking each dragons mind, which is not an easy feat. These Eldunarí should be fully compliant if that is the case but they are not. When Galbatorix conquered over the Riders there were several Eldunarí that were old enough to have been alive when the last Shadow Dragon, Scáth's predecessor, was alive. They would not have known the full extent of a Shadow Dragon's powers, none but they do, but they would know at least some of what they could do, such as concealing their minds._

_Then it is possible that not all of them are as compliant as they seem, _Harry reasoned, some small hope entering his voice. _Perhaps just biding their time, a sleeper agent so to speak. _

_A what? _Umaroth questioned in utter confusion, never having heard such a term before.

"What about those he travels with?" Galbatorix interrupted before Harry could answer and after several minutes of agitated grumbling and thinking over everything. "The villagers from Carvahall? Surely they would know something as he rescued them moments before the Ra'zac were about to kidnap Eragon's cousin."

_They know very little, _one of the Eldunarí answered blandly. _They do not even have a clear description of the Rider and his dragon, nor their names. Whoever this Rider is, he is very paranoid and skilled in the magical arts. _

Harry very nearly let out a caw of laughter when he heard that and was feeling very smug over the fact that he had taken the precaution of casting several wards over himself, Scáth, Hermione, and Remus that allowed people to look at them but be unable to acquire a definitive memory of their physical appearance or their names. He did, however, let out a surprised caw and took to the air when something suddenly went flying out the window. When he got a proper glance, Harry saw that it was just the crown that Galbatorix had been wearing. Harry landed again on the roof over the window just in time for Galbatorix to lean out, searching for the source of the noise caused by him throwing his crown out the window. Harry focused hard once again and this time placed an eavesdropping spell on the ring on Galbatorix's middle finger.

_To answer your question, _Harry said as he kept out of sight until Galbatorix had returned in side. _A sleeper agent is a spy or assassin that goes so deep under cover that they actually adopt the persona of their cover until they are given the signal to act. They could end up waiting years before being activated. If those Eldunarí are not as completely broken as they appear then it is possible that they are just bidding their time until they no longer have to kowtow to a madman. _

_What a novel concept, _Umaroth said with a mixture of impression and wonderment. _I doubt they are all that way though. Some of the older ones, maybe, but not all. _

_Still, they could prove to be very useful. _Harry said as he monitored his tracking spell, waiting for Galbatorix to retreat a safe distance before he flapped down to the windowsill, whereupon he held a massive room filled with hundreds upon hundreds of glistening gem-like rocks. Each one pulsed with a faint energy and glow just as all Eldunarí did. The room itself was actually quite large, it had to be in order to house so many Eldunarí, but it was also quite tall. The floor was about ten feet below the window and there was an extra six feet above the window. The width of the room was easily five times the size of the one that housed the last dragon eggs in all of Alagaësia. _Particularly with getting the other Eldunarí to regain their senses from the decades of abuse. _

_That may be but shouldn't you be spying on Galbatorix so as to help counter his actions in this war? _One of the other Eldunarí Harry possessed questioned. He didn't know the name, as it hadn't given one and he had only been in contact with them for such a short time, but Harry could tell that it was one of the younger Eldunarí.

_I am._ Harry assured, knowing that the dragon hadn't sensed his use of magic. Truly, very few in this world actually could sense his type of magic and then it was usually only when he was using it openly and not covertly. _My spells currently indicate that he has retreated to a part of the castle where Shruikan is currently resting, or whatever the poor dragon does to pass the time. I wish I could help him but I see no way to do so. Just skirting around his mind I can tell that there isn't a sane thought in his brain. _

_Yes,_ Umaroth said just as sadly as Harry had. _Shruikan was one of Galbatorix's first victims… and his worst. The only relief we may provide to the tortured dragon is death._

_Unfortunately, I have to agree, _Harry said as he let out a small caw of sorrow. _However, that will have to wait. For now we must focus on the task at hand. _

_I wouldn't, _Scáth suddenly interrupted gravely.

Harry sighed but with some mild amusement in his voice. _There are downfalls to being so closely connected you know. _

_I'm serious Harry, _Scáth said seriously.

_Would either of you wish to inform the rest of us about what you are talking about? _Umaroth questioned, amusement heavy in his voice at the antics of Rider and dragon.

_Harry is thinking of shadowing all of the Eldunarí away so Galbatorix would no longer be so powerful. _Scáth answered, disapproval heavy in his voice.

_It's a logical solution to our problem. _Harry argued in defense of his plan as he itched the top of his left wing with his black beak. _Galbatorix draws his increased strength from these Eldunarí. We take them away, he is back to being nothing more than a highly skilled and above average Rider. _

_A very good idea, _Umaroth said but continued before Harry could feel too smug or think that he had won the argument so easily. _But you are forgetting the fact that these dragons have spent the past hundred years in service to Galbatorix, who broke and twisted their minds so they would bend to his will. Even if we were to take them away they could still reach out to him purely out of habit and inadvertently help him. _

_Ok, _Harry admitted easily. _I allow, I did not consider that. _He let out a small cawing laugh when Scáth practically beamed with smug happiness. _What if we put them in a controlled sleep though? Cast a spell, a temporary spell, which would induce a coma in all the Eldunarí and then shadow them to a safe location away from Galbatorix. Once we have dealt with Galbatorix then we could release the spell and take the time to quell their anger at being enslaved._ The other two were silent for a while as they thought that over and Harry could tell that he had made a dent in their denial.

_Would not such a spell require a constant source of energy? _Scáth questioned after a few moments.

_Not necessarily, _a new voice said within Harry's mind. Harry was disoriented slightly as scattered images were interspersed with the words. The voice was old and ancient, more so than Umaroth's. _If you were to word your spell correctly then it would not only do as you want but would not need a constant source of energy and would only be released when you wish. However, it would be wise to do only a few at a time as some might resist the spell when you cast it. If they were to all resist at the same time then you would fail in your plan._

_Wise words Valdr, _Umaroth agreed. _I suggest you take the time to get your spell down pat before you attempt this. _

Harry agreed silently and took off to find a safe and secluded place where he could work.

–Scene Break–

Scáth glided effortlessly through the sky with Hermione and Remus on his back. The three of them had left the villagers in the capable hands of the elves only just that morning and now they were skirting the edges of Du Weldenvarden. Scáth had taken this rout instead of heading directly towards his location in the hopes that he would encounter the others as they left the forest. He had only just reached Isenstar Lake a few hours ago and he was taking his time so he had a reasonable chance of seeing them if they had left shortly after Harry had roused them.

Remus and Hermione were dozing slightly in the fur saddle on his back but Scáth wasn't particularly concerned about them falling as they were strapped in. His only real concern was the fact that he might be seen but as they were all on the brink of revealing themselves he wasn't overly concerned with being seen, just attacked. But again, since Harry's spells were still protecting him from projectiles he needed only be concerned with powerful magicians, which were so rare that almost none existed anymore, particularly one that could challenge a Rider and dragon.

A distant noise suddenly pulled Scáth from his meandering thoughts. He looked around in his immediate area but didn't see anything of note, besides the fact that he had flown further than he had thought and had already left Isenstar Lake far behind. The noise sounded again and this time Scáth recognized it for what it was; the roar of a dragon. He looked to the north and noticed four growing forms riding low to the trees. Scáth smiled a pointy-toothed smile before startling his companions and letting out a mighty bugle that shook the very trees and caused several of the wild life to scatter in fear. As well they should, for what creature did not fear a dragon?

Scáth circled back on himself as he kept an eye on the approaching dragons and Riders. Where he anywhere else he likely would have simply headed towards them but given the wards that surrounded the forest he would have ended up crashing before he had even gotten close. So he circled on the edge of the forest and waited. Hermione and Remus questioned Scáth about what was going on but he merely pointed out what he had seen rather than give them any actual response.

"What're you doing up here Scáth?" Oromis questioned once they had gotten close enough to circle each other. "And where is Harry? I figured you both would have headed to the Varden by now. And who is on your back?"

_I'm sure you all remember Remus from when he came with the other man in an attempt to bring Harry back to his world, _Scáth said in way of introduction as the five of them circled around each other in order to talk. _This young lady is Hermione Granger, one of Harry's friends. Neither had any wish to remain behind when they realized that Harry was not going to stay in his world after the war, even after being told the full implications of coming with us. As for Harry's whereabouts, he is in Ilirea spying on the king in an attempt to give us some advanced warning of his plans. He has already warned us of Galbatorix's intentions to raze all of Surda._

_What of the North? _Glaedr questioned before any of the others could comment on such a dangerous mission. Only Oromis and Glaedr knew that Harry could not only turn into a raven but also had Scáth's Eldunarí and could therefore hide the presence of his mind. That was actually the only commonly known fact about Shadow Dragons.

_Nothing yet, though Harry did arrive just in time to hear the king demanding an unknown battalion of soldiers to leave the city by noon, _Scáth reported. _It is unknown where they are headed though or how many there are. _

"Very well," Oromis acknowledge gravely. He wasn't particularly happy that Harry had chosen such a risky task but couldn't deny the benefits. "We plan on catching the empire from both ends. Arya, Fírnen, Glaedr and I will be joining the fighters in the North. The others will be heading south to aid the Varden."

_Swift wings and sharp claws to you all. _Scáth said, punctuating his sentence with a triumphant roar. _Let this war be finished! _

His declaration was met by war cries from the other Riders and hearting roars from the four other dragons. Scáth swung his tail and headed south, accompanied by Eragon and Murtagh, and their respective dragons, while Arya and Oromis headed west towards Gil'ead, where the elves were set to strike first. The two Riders, three dragons, and two strangers to this land flew in silence for some time, Hermione and Remus only occasionally questioning Scáth about certain things. Actually, it was Hermione that did most of the 'questioning' which to Scáth felt more like an interrogation by a machine gun, to which Harry had giggle endlessly about.

_Scáth? _Murtagh questioned eventually, some time close to sunset. _Forgive me, I know it is rude to speak like this with another Rider's dragon but I wished to ask you a private question. _

_It is ok Murtagh, I do not mind. _Scáth replied kindly. The dragon knew his feelings for the other Rider were influenced by Harry's feelings but he did, in all honesty, like the man, particularly his resilience when it came to harsh situations. It spoke a great deal about the man's character that he had gone through so much and had still turned into a good man.

_I understand the benefits of having a spy on the King, _Murtagh said hesitantly but gained confidence with each word he spoke when he felt nothing but open reception from Scáth. _But I cannot help but fear for his safety. Why would he risk his life like that when he knows how dangerous it would be to be so close?_

_Because I have come to love this land, _Harry said suddenly, startling Murtagh who had not been expecting Harry's voice to answer instead of Scáth's. The dark haired youth looked around in surprise but found only them in the air. _This land has shown me more care than the one I came from and I wish it peace. I have only risked myself like this because I know the chances of me getting caught are slim due to some spells I have placed around myself to keep me hidden. _

_H-how? _Murtagh questioned in shock over having being spoken to by someone who was easily fifty miles away.

_I'm sorry but that is not something that I can explain, _Harry said sadly but firmly, clearly stating that the subject was off limits. _I want to, but out of necessary precautions for safety I cannot say. Just know that I am safe and the king knows nothing of my whereabouts. Indeed, _he continued with an amused and smug snicker. _He knows almost nothing about me at all. _

_Very well, as long as you are safe. _Murtagh said in apparent satisfaction. _Will you meet up with us at the Varden?_

_It is a possibility but unknown at the moment. _Harry said after a moment of silence, in which he had been distracted by something. _I'm currently trying to work out how to limit Galbatorix's power, which could take some time. _

_You could do that? _Murtagh asked in shock.

_I don't know, _Harry said in a half lie. _But I'm certainly going to try. _With that Harry withdrew to continue working on his preparations.

–Scene Break–

Harry was once again perched on the roof top above the room that housed the hundreds, if not thousands, of Eldunarí that Galbatorix possessed. The sun was in the process of setting and he was waiting patiently for it to have gone down completely and for the castle's inhabitants to fall into the realm of sleep. Specifically, he was waiting for Galbatorix to fall asleep so as to give himself the advantage. Over the course of the past two days that Harry had been working on perfecting his sleeping spell, he had dutifully reported almost everything that his monitoring spells had reported to him, to both the Queen and Nasuada. Sadly it wasn't a whole lot of information as Galbatorix was extremely paranoid and often didn't speak aloud of his plans, choosing mainly to send written missives. Still, he had managed to gather some sort of idea of the madman's plans.

Now, only a few days before the full moon was due, Harry waited, nothing more than a shadow on the castle wall. Slowly, the sun made its way down past the horizon and the world was plunged into darkness. Harry silently took to the air and quickly circled around and glided through the open window that led to the Eldunarí. He landed on the bare spot in the middle of the floor and transformed back into himself. Since the Eldunarí didn't have any means of seeing on their own, he needn't worry about them seeing him and reporting him.

Making sure to keep his mind shrouded in shadows, Harry extended his mind towards all the hearts in the room. After careful consideration and conversation between Umaroth, Valdr, and a few of the other Eldunarí they had come to believe that this was the best course. Instead of saying the spell over a select few of the hearts, Harry would shroud his mind in shadows and connect his mind with all of the Eldunarí and gently sing the spell, as if he were singing to a plant to get it to grow into what he wanted.

Slowly and softly, so softly that he was barely making any sound; Harry started singing in the ancient language. The words may have been forming a spell but the tune that Harry sang to was from his oldest and deepest memory. He had told no one, save for Scáth of course, but Harry had one vague, distant, and happy memory from the year of life he had with his parents. It was this tune. He had kept this memory buried and had been his salvation during his time at the Dursley's. It was the memory of his mother singing to him to help him go to sleep at night.

As he sang, Harry made sure to transmit the subtle song through his concealed mental connection with each Eldunarí, strengthening the effect, the fact that it was night, when the Eldunarí were at their calmest, helped as well. A few of the younger Eldunarí attempted to fight the pull of sleep, for that was all it was to them, but Harry's spell was too insidious and too strong to be fought off by a simple desire to stay awake. After almost an hour of soft singing, every Eldunarí in the room had fallen into a deep, coma-like sleep.

_Perfect, _Harry commented quietly after he had extracted his mental presence from each Eldunarí. They may be in a magically induced sleep but it was best to refrain from mentally speaking with the Eldunarí until the spell had a chance to take a stronger hold. _Now for the hard part. Are you all ready? _

_Yes, _came the uniform reply from all the Eldunarí in Harry's possession.

Harry took a deep breath and started drawing upon their energy and focused on the image he had received from Valdr. He extended his hands and the shadows in the room grew longer and longer. They filled up the room, extending their ominous and dark fingers over each heart. When the entire room was blacked out with shadows, Harry released the magic and everything snapped back into place and the shadows were merely shadows once again. Harry looked around the room as he stopped drawing on the energy from the Eldunarí. He smiled when he realized that he had succeeded. The room was empty and he was the only thing in it, which was why he had stayed behind instead of travelling with the Eldunarí. He wanted to make sure that he hadn't left any behind.

"Did you honestly think that you were the only one that knew obscure magics?" Harry asked aloud as he looked towards the ceiling. His back was towards the door but he didn't need to be facing it to be able to tell that the door had opened and Galbatorix was standing there staring in shock and rage. "Your arrogance has made you weak Galbatorix. There are secrets of magic that not even the Rider's knew, that not even a Shade would know."

"I will have your head," Galbatorix snarled dangerously as he drew his sword. He made to lunge at Harry but was caught off guard by how quickly Harry had reacted. He spun around and brought his hands close to his chest, with his palms facing each other, the shadows gathering into a tight ball between his hands.

"Obliviate!" Harry commanded with all the authority of fate itself, which, ironically, he was.

The soccer sized ball of shadow shot forward the second the word left Harry's mouth. Galbatorix, who had been half way through raising his sword, was stunned at the speed and ferocity with which Harry had reacted, could only stare on as the ball of shadow made contact with his chest. Galbatorix went flying backwards and through the door… and through the outer wall of the tower. Harry fell to his knee as exhaustion slammed into his system. Veins pulsed along his neck, forehead, and arms as his heart struggled to keep beating. He hadn't had a chance to draw upon the strength of the Eldunarí when he did that and was now reaping the consequences.

_Are you alright? _Scáth questioned, even as he and the other Eldunarí flooded Harry's system with energy to compensate for the expense.

_Well enough, _Harry answered as he staggered his way back to his feet. After a few seconds of maintaining his balance, Harry stumbled his way over to the doorway and the hole beyond. He leaned against the edge and stared down into the night. There was no sign of either an impact sight or Galbatorix but Harry wasn't fooled. His monitoring spells clearly stated that the twisted king was still alive.

_What was that word you said? _One of the younger Eldunarí questioned Harry, curiosity obvious in its voice.

_Obliviate, _Harry answered with a slight smirk. He knew that the spell had taken and he was very pleased with himself. _From the Latin word oblivisci, meaning forget. It's from my world. Basically, I erased Galbatorix's memory of every single word in the Ancient Language, everything to do with the Eldunarí, and everything to do with me. I doubt it will last long though. I didn't have time to make it permanent and between Shruikan, the soldiers, and his collection of books he stole from the library in Doru Araeba his memories will likely come back. All I've done is buy us time. _

_An invaluable asset during war, _Scáth said after a few moments of silence. _They're all here and all still sleeping. Go find a place to rest before shadowing here._ Harry didn't bother to argue. Despite the energy he had received from the Eldunarí after his assault he was still very much exhausted and he quite willingly flew off to find a safe perch to sleep.


	13. Chapter 13: The Drums of War

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing but my OC's

**Slash warning! **Anyone who shouldn't or isn't allowed to read such things turn a blind eye!

* * *

CHAPTER THIRTEEN: THE DRUMS OF WAR

Harry stood on the cliffs of Du Fells Nángorörth overlooking all the peacefully sleeping Eldunarí that now rested quietly in their ancestral home. It had been only a day and a half since Harry had rescued them and his spell keeping them in a coma-like state was strong and holding steady. The elves had already laid their assault in the north and things were going good for them, especially with the assistance of two Riders. The Varden was stationed on the Burning Plains where Surda's border crossed the Jiet River. They had marched there two and a half weeks prior to Harry's and Scáth's return to Alagaësia when they had received word that Galbatorix had sent an army to invade Surda. The two forces had been just mere leagues away from each other when Galbatorix had discovered the loss of the two eggs.

Now, the two parties had met and were on the verge of engaging. Harry and Scáth had taken the past day to rest and prepare, especially since Remus and Hermione were not fully ready yet. They had decided that in the oncoming battles, they would freely use their magic along with their weapons so as to give them the upper hand so they weren't killed by a more skilled soldier. The revelation of their ease with magic would more than likely make them bigger targets but between the two of them fighting together and the wards that Harry had erected around them all, they all felt reasonably confident in their abilities to stay alive.

"Is everyone ready?" Harry questioned quietly to the other three who had been standing around him, also staring at the hundreds and hundreds of Eldunarí that were scattered about. Hermione and Remus nodded. "Then let us go earn our deserved era of peace."

The three of them all climbed onto Scáth's back, each properly spelled to be lighter than they were so as to increase Scáth's speed and so they didn't tire him out quicker. There only real concern was the approaching full moon. It was in a day's time and none of them knew how Remus' curse would react to being in a different world with different magics, even with the wolfsbane. Harry resolutely reminded himself to talk with Oromis when he got a chance about the possibility of freeing Remus from his burden. Neither Harry nor Scáth knew if it was possible but the man deserved a release.

Once they were all settled into place, Scáth crouched low before launching himself into the air. As the sun was only just beginning to rise over the horizon Scáth quickly and easily slipped through the shadows and reappeared over Du Völlar Eldvarya where the two armies were waiting almost a mile apart. The fumes being let off from the burning fires of the plains created a thick orange smog in the air, giving the entire area a surreal look, even this early in the morning when the sun was barely up.

_Oh what a way to start the morning, _Scáth commented dryly as over a dozen arrows came flying up at them a few minutes after they had appeared. About ten feet before they would've made impact each arrow burst into flames and lost all momentum and fell back to the earth.

"Handy wards," Remus commented as he watched the arrows fall, even as Scáth banked to the left to head towards the command pavilion. "Did you learn that here?"

"No actually," Harry answered as he turned back slightly so Remus could hear him better. "One of the books from the Black library. Sirius' great-great-grandfather Cygnus was rather paranoid and obsessed with wards and other protection spells so he collected as many books he could find on them."

"And you copied the entire library before leaving," Remus replied with a slight chuckle in amusement. "You'll have to let me read some of those books some time."

Harry just chuckled in amusement as Scáth touched down in front of the largest tent in the Varden's encampment. The three of them dismounted and Harry, who was garbed in his armor, greeted the guards that stood at attention at the front of the pavilion, two of which were Urgals. Hermione and Remus both noticed Harry stiffen at the sight of the strange, to them, creatures and how his hands twitched minutely. The guards announced their arrival and they were granted entrance.

"Lady Nasuada," Harry greeted with a smile and a deep respectful bow. "If I may, this is my godfather Remus Lupin and my good friend Hermione Granger." Everyone in the room greeted the newcomers, Hermione and Remus bowing respectfully to the obviously powerful woman.

"I'm happy you decided to join us Harry," Nasuada said as she turned her attention from those she had greeted back to Harry. "Though I am surprised you did. The others said you were busy with some other task, though they had deigned not to specify what exactly that was."

"I was spying on the King," Harry said bluntly, seeing no reason to hide what he had been doing. "During the course of which I saw him behead the last Ra'zac," he added with a slightly apologetic look to Eragon, who did indeed look more elf than human now.

"As much as I would have preferred to do that myself," Eragon said with a flash of annoyance that was gone quicker than it had appeared. "It is good that we do not have to worry about them causing any more problems."

"Indeed," Harry said, slightly impressed at how much the other boy had matured over the few months he had been gone. "Your cousin and the other villagers are also safe in the hands of the elves, who, if you haven't heard, have already attacked Gil'ead. I would not be surprised if it is not already fully under their control."

"This is excellent news," Nasuada said with a beaming smile, which quickly faded as she continued speaking. "Our own situation however is not so pleasant."

"Yes," Harry said, drawing out the word and exaggerating a small nod. "We saw the army on our way in. I honestly didn't think that many people existed in the Empire. However!" He continued with a raised finger before anyone could speak. He walked over to the side of the tent where a flap was, wandlessly conjured a full length stand alone mirror, and dragged it into the tent. "Things are not quite as bleak as you think."

"I wish I had your optimism," Jörmundur said somewhat sarcastically.

"Not optimism, practicality," Harry said and then said the words for scrying, using the version that would allow two way communication between him and whomever he was scrying. "Queen Islanzadí," he greeted after going through the traditional greeting of the elves. "How fair things with Gil'ead?"

"Aside from a few pockets of resistance the city is ours," Islanzadí said blandly and with a blank face, her usual expression. Harry did note however that she had undertones, small though they were, of contentedness, something Harry attributed to the slowly healing relationship between her and her daughter.

"Fabulous," Harry said with an acknowledging nod. "I have news of great importance and was wondering if Arya svit-kona and Osthato Chetowä were available to speak as well."

"They are," Islanzadí said somewhat stiffly. She relaxed a second later. "As he has already revealed himself, I see no reason to continue keeping his presence hidden." Harry nodded in agreement and waited patiently while Islanzadí sent off an attendant to fetch Arya and Oromis.

"What news do you bring?" Oromis questioned after the traditional greetings had been dealt with.

"The only heart he now possesses is made of flesh," Harry said, confusing everyone who was listening except for Oromis. Said elf immediately became slack jawed and stunned. "The others have been safely hidden away. I have also managed to make him temporarily forget every last true name he has ever learned."

"Wh… h… how?" Oromis stuttered in complete shock.

"The details can wait," Harry said waving off the shocked question.

"No," Oromis said firmly, interrupting whatever else Harry had been about to say. "As your teacher, I require to know just how you did what you say you've done."

Harry sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "May I?" He asked aloud. Oromis was confused, thinking that Harry had been talking to him, and was about to say something but Harry nodded and continued speaking. "You know of one called Umaroth yes?"

"As do we all," Oromis said with a nod, growing more and more confused. He watched as Harry messed with something around his neck and muttered a few indecipherable words. Seconds later, a trunk appeared out of nowhere on the floor next to Harry, who immediately knelt down and immediately started fussing around inside. "He was Vrael's dragon, the head of our order. He perished during the fall."

"Only in body," Harry said with a nod, though no one could see it, as he was very nearly waist deep inside his trunk. He gave a grunt and groan before coming back out of his trunk carrying a white Eldunarí about thrice the size of your average watermelon. "Though he may not remember it, Glaedr and Umaroth hatched a plan to save several hearts, one of which was Umaroth's. They contacted me, asked me to retrieve them, and they assisted in freeing the other hearts."

"This… this, is… beyond words," Oromis said in stunned amazement as he reached out a hand, attempting to touch the heart.

"What are these 'hearts' exactly?" Nasuada asked in confusion and wonder as she approached the heart in Harry's hands.

"And how many do you have?" Eragon questioned as he approached the, to him, mysterious trunk. He innocently laid a hand on the open lid, intending to lean forward to look in, but he quickly pulled it back with a yelp of pain. The trunk had shocked him quite painfully before snapping shut and vanishing with a few sparks of electricity.

_This can wait, _Valdr said suddenly only to Harry. A sudden influx of images flew through Harry's brain and it took him a few moments to decipher them.

"Prepare for battle," Harry ordered suddenly to everyone, even Oromis, Arya, and Islanzadí. He quickly touched Umaroth's Eldunarí to his neck, causing it to vanish and return to his trunk. "An army is approaching Gil'ead and our end is about to be attacked."

Harry didn't wait for any sort of response from anyone before he whirled around and marched from the tent, ending his scrying spell in the process. He marched at a quick pace towards the front lines, magically amplifying his voice to shout at everyone to prepare for battle. Scáth had already taken flight, always being more effective in the air than he was on the ground, even during the day. By the time Harry had reached the front lines, the Empire's forces were already marching and their war engines were being prepped to launch giant ceramic balls.

"Istalrí burthro abr fyrn, rïsa fra du deloi un ach iet weohnata!" Harry commanded in the ancient language as he drew Bhuailteoir and his elven sword.

The fires that burned beneath the earth, creating The Burning Plains, suddenly rose up from the ground between the two opposing forces. Three balls of fire started coalescing high in the air above them. Every single body in the vicinity froze in what they were doing to watch the spectacle Harry was creating. When each ball resembled a miniature sun, Harry commanded Thrysta and each one made a beeline for one of the Empire's war machines. The soldiers all scrambled as the fireballs closed in. Upon impact, the fireballs exploded in wrathful fury for over a quarter mile in every direction.

"Their oaths will bind them to do as they are ordered," Harry said turning to the soldiers behind him. He absently noted that Nasuada, Eragon, and Murtagh had reached the front lines. "What say you, Lady Nasuada? Shall we give our enemies cause to fear our blades?"

"Let us turn this tide back to the black gates of Urû'baen!" Nasuada commanded inciting eager and battle ready cheers from the surrounding soldiers.

"Harry," Hermione said in concern. Plan's aside, this was a very different form of war than either her or Remus had ever experienced.

"Stay close to me," Harry said as the surrounding soldiers began marching forward over the plains, which had calmed once again. "But don't cross in front. It is very different fighting this way, I'll admit. Just remember that these people have been forced into their positions and it's not necessary to kill them. All you have to do is incapacitate them. Use your spells to your advantage."

The other two nodded their acquiesce and started marching forward with everyone else. As they marched, Harry noted that Eragon had mounted Saphira and Murtagh was striding confidently next to Fëon. The last two, Harry noted with a slight smirk, were marching closer to Harry and the others than Eragon and Saphira were. Hermione noted his smirk and looked over where he had been looking seconds before. A smirk of her own grew on her face as she turned back to give Harry a _look_ that clearly said she could tell where Harry's mind had been wandering.

Harry just grinned and turned his focus towards the oncoming battle. He rubbed his thumb along Bhuailteoir's handle and the sword immediately started to spark with energy. The white strip in the blade began to glow ominously. Remus, who was closest to the blade, eyed the mystical sword warily and even took a few steps to the side. He trusted Harry but that didn't mean he couldn't have reservations about a sword he knew nothing about. When the blade was practically leaking energy, Harry took several leaping strides, putting himself a few feet in front of the other soldiers.

As if he were stepping on invisible steps, Harry leaped into the air several feet and started spinning. No one took notice for everyone was focusing on the approaching forces. Harry spun faster and faster. At some point, not even Harry was sure when, he had sheathed his other sword and was holding only Bhuailteoir, which he had extended and was holding with both hands. As Harry spun Bhuailteoir started releasing its pent up energy, creating a giant halo. When the halo was fully charged and Bhuailteoir was completely drained, Harry suddenly stopped spinning and dropped almost seven feet, the tip of his sword remaining perfectly level with the center of the halo and not a single centimeter below the bottom edge.

Harry swung himself back and then forward. On his way back again, Harry offset his momentum so he would swing out to the side. Again and again he did this until he was swinging in a full circle. As he swung round and round, the halo started to copy him until they looked like some strange pendulum. At just the right moment Harry swung his sword with all his might in the direction of the Empire's forces. The halo went spinning through the air, creating a humming noise as it went, no one noticed. Harry plummeted back to the earth but wasn't fazed in the slightest and immediately started in on hacking through the forces of the Empire. The halo on the other hand went sailing a good mile into the opposing forces.

"How are we supposed to stay close when you go off and do something like that?" Hermione demanded angrily as she flourished her wand and sent three soldiers flying backwards, knocking several others unconscious when they made impact.

Harry grinned in amusement and said, "You could grow wings." Hermione scowled at him but didn't bother to comment given that she was preoccupied.

_It's active. _Scáth informed him almost two hours later after he had finished unleashing a torrent of flame upon a section of soldiers.

_Good, _Harry said as he dented a soldier's helm with the pummel of his sword. _Inform the others. Make sure they stay out of the air and keep yourself at a safe distance._

"Harry what did you do?" Remus questioned mere moments later after rendering someone unconscious. The air had started moving, creating a pulling sensation northward where the halo was. Every soldier who wasn't a part of the Varden was being forcibly pulled towards the source.

"I ended this war," Harry said with finality as the fighting gradually stopped all around them.

All around them, the Empire's forces were being pulled away from the Varden. A tornado started forming of all the soldiers that the halo was sucking in. More and more soldiers were pulled in. It seemed like an endless stream of bodies that would never end. The halo pulsed with power as it seemed to only grow stronger and more powerful, sucking them all in at a faster rate. The Varden crowded around at a safer distance and watched in awe and wonder. Eventually, the last of the Empire's forces were sucked into the vortex. With the last of the soldiers sucked in, the halo collapsed.

"What did you do?" Remus questioned again, shock and just a little bit of fear evident in his voice.

"Like I said," Harry said as he reached out his hand and plucked a necklace out of the air that had suddenly come zooming towards him. It was nearly identical to the invisible one around his neck that contained his trunk. "I ended this war. The soldiers were bound to oaths they were forced to swear in the ancient language to Galbatorix. Most, if not all, never wanted to be in the army, in any army. It wasn't right to have to kill them just because of one man. So I imprisoned them. They'll be perfectly fine. They're just kept in a state of suspended animation."

"You are a great warrior Lightstriker," a nearby Kull stated in its harsh and gurgling voice. It had been close enough to listen in on Harry's explanation. "And wiser than any human I have met." Harry stared at the Kull briefly before he lifted his head and bared his neck, a sign of respect and trust among the Urgal culture.

"Wise indeed," Nasuada said as she marched towards them. "I would greatly like to know how you did that."

"A secret from my home world," Harry said as he handed over the prisoners. "A secret that cannot and will not be shared. When you are ready I will release them for you."

"Can you do this again?" Nasuada questioned as she gazed into the mesmerizing little diamond.

"One time trick," Harry lied through his teeth, though Hermione and Remus were the only ones that didn't believe him. "My I go rest my lady? That took a great deal of energy."

"Yes. This battle took less time than we all anticipated thanks to you and you have definitely earned a reprieve, we all have." Nasuada said with a nod, gesturing to all the soldiers around her as she said that last.

Harry nodded and marched off back towards the heart of the Varden encampment, Hermione and Remus following close behind. Half way towards his destination, Scáth landed next to the trio and proceeded to follow them. Harry picked a place on the edge of the encampment where no one else had set up a tent. He proceeded to conjure a tent and place several other spells on and around it so the three of them could fit comfortably inside and would be alerted should anyone nearby come within a certain distance, giving them ample time to prevent anyone from noticing anything out of the ordinary.

"So what spell did you use?" Hermione questioned eagerly once they had entered the tent and settled down. "I've never heard of one that was able to do something like that. Was it something else you learned in the Black library?"

"Actually it's from one of the books in the Restricted Section," Harry said with a bit of a weary sigh as he relaxed into a comfortable armchair he had conjured. "I first used it to store my trunk so I would always have it with me and wouldn't have to worry about dragging the thing all over the place, which is what the spell was originally designed for. It took me two years to alter the spell and prepare for that moment."

"What made you think to alter the spell for such a purpose though?" Remus questioned as he conjured some tea and poured everyone a cup.

"I knew we would be coming back to a full scale war," Harry said after taking a relaxing sip of the surprisingly delicious tea. "I also knew that a good deal of the people didn't want to fight for the Empire. I started thinking over how we could possibly minimize the loss of innocent lives that had likely been forced into service against their wills. It was actually Scáth who had the stroke of genius." Outside Scáth rumbled in embarrassment and Harry smirked in amusement. "He asked me if it were possible to use the spell I used on my trunk on something living. Thus sparked my two year endeavor to alter the spell."

"Are you sure they'll be alright though?" Hermione questioned in concern.

"I tested the spell several times throughout the process," Harry said with a slight grimace as he recalled the first stages of his experimenting. "The first few tries were a bit… messy but thankfully I was only testing it on insects. Once they started surviving, I moved onto larger creatures. I even tried it on Dumbledore a few times." He couldn't help but add with a vindictive smirk.

"Is that why he disappeared for three weeks around your birthday?" Remus asked in realization.

"I honestly haven't a clue as to what you are referring," Harry said in mock innocence, so convincing that for a split second the other two actually believed him. "Come on in Murtagh." He said suddenly, confusing his friends briefly before Murtagh walked into the tent.

"You never stop watching do you?" Murtagh questioned in amusement as he walked in. He paused momentarily to marvel at the space differential between the exterior and the interior of the tent. However, since he had just witnessed Harry imprison an entire army, he quickly moved on.

"Nope, habit," Harry said in way of explanation as he gestured to the spare chair he had taken the liberty of conjuring before the other man had shown up. Outside, Harry felt Fëon land next to where Scáth had been laying. He smirked when he felt a spike in his dragon's attention and eagerness. He would've teased Scáth about it if his own attention hadn't spiked when he felt Murtagh's approach. "So what brings you over this way?"

"I wanted to avoid more heart attacks so I thought I'd come spy on you," Murtagh jested with a pointed smirk at Harry.

"I bet Oromis feels the same way," Harry laughed. His smile brightened even more when Murtagh joined in the mirth. "I swear I thought he was going to have a stroke when I told him I had rescued all those Eldunarí."

"Speaking of," Murtagh said when he had regained control over his breathing. "Is that how you…?" his voice trailed off as Harry nodded in affirmation. Murtagh was silent for a few moments before speaking up again. "Why did Oromis not teach us about these Eldunarí?"

_Because a dragon's Eldunarí holds their very life, _Umaroth answered just as Harry was about to. _Also, as you've seen, they can amplify a spell casters strength greatly. In the early days of the Rider's order, it had become somewhat common for the younger dragons to disgorge their hearts just to impress their Riders. This led to… less than agreeable happenings and usually resulted in the dragons greatly regretting their decision. It had then become the practice of the older dragons to teach and encourage the younger ones to keep their hearts secret until they had been bonded with their Rider for some time and the two of them came to know each other better. Even then, the dragons of our order were not encouraged to disgorge their hearts. Only when one reached a great age did they finally make the decision to do so or not._

"Aptly put," Harry said with a nod, knowing that everyone had heard the dragon's words. "How are things progressing in Gil'ead?"

_Well, _Umaroth answered after a brief moment of silence. _Two Riders and a host of elven warriors is not a force to be trifled with and the force sent to Gil'ead had not actually been expecting to be attacked._

"Good," Harry said with a pleased nod.

"What about the king?" Murtagh questioned, thinking that Umaroth and the other Eldunarí that Harry had with him were spying on the king as they had been on Gil'ead.

"My memory wipe is slowly fading," Harry said as he scratched his chin in thought and assessed his monitoring spells. "His knowledge of the Ancient Language is still lost to him, even though he is no doubt attempting to read the many scrolls and tomes he stole from the library on Vroengard. Everything else I wiped though is slowly starting to come back. I would not be surprised if he regained full awareness within a week. At which time he will likely march from Urû'baen and hunt me down himself."

"By which time you will have a plan in place no doubt," Remus said, half joking, half serious. "I have no doubt that you would not have created such an opportune window and fail to use it to its fullest."

"Oh you know me to well Remus, too we–"

Harry cut himself off as he suddenly went ridged and his face scrunched up in pain. Scáth let out a menacing and feral half snarl half growl as he attempted to aide his Rider in the mysterious fight. Unfortunately, they weren't prepared for something like this and they ended up failing. Harry let out an extremely painful wail as he clutched his hands to his head and suddenly vanished in a flash of light. The others scrambled about in confusion and worry while Scáth let out a defiant and horribly angry roar that echoed for miles and miles around and struck fear into the heart of every living creature that had the miss fortune of hearing the sound. Even Saphira and Fëon, two creatures that had no reason to fear Scáth, felt the paralyzing sensation crawl into their hearts.

–Scene Break–

"Seize him!" Someone ordered when Harry had rematerialized and the pain had ceased. Harry, who had rematerialized on his knees with his hands to his head, immediately felt two sets of arms grabbing both of his and he was hauled to his feet. With the pain gone, Harry managed to look around the room. He was in a massive cathedral, one that rivaled the size of Hogwarts' Great Hall.

"I'm impressed," Harry quipped as he was dragged down the aisle towards an altar. He played the part of helpless prisoner well and attempted to fight the soldiers dragging him towards the altar. "I didn't think simple human magicians could muster such complicated magic."

"Then you would be pleased to note that it cost us four of our strongest magicians." The same person spoke, drawing Harry's attention to a slew of corpses, one of which was merely a mutilated torso with a head attached at the top.

"It would have cost you more had I been prepared," Harry said as he took stock of just _what _he was being dragged towards. On the altar were two eggs, hideous eggs. They were black but appeared to be oozing a black, tar like liquid. It really was disgusting and nearly made Harry empty his already vacant stomach. "Ra'zac eggs I presume."

"You are to be their first meal," the man said. He was obviously a priest of some sort but having never been to Dras Leona before (he discovered as much from nearby unguarded minds) Harry could not be sure. "We were alerted when the last of our lords perished and per their instructions, we are to raise them once more."

"Oh well that's nice," Harry said with fake sincerity. "Would you mind if I give you a bit of advice before you kill me?"

"What could you possibly have to offer from your position?"

"Always disarm your opponent when you have the chance," Harry said with a vicious smirk.

Everyone in the room barely had enough time to look down at Harry's waist before Harry exploded into action. Far stronger than his captors had taken him to be, Harry pulled his arms across his chest and slammed the two soldiers into each other, rendering them unconscious. In quick succession, Harry had his swords drawn and had demolished both revolting eggs to bits and pieces. A host of arrows suddenly flew at Harry from unseen archers but they burned to ash before they even got close. Instead of fleeing, as he should have and would have in the past, Harry threw Bhuailteoir at the priest. The blade sunk hilt deep in the man's chest but continued flying, pulling the man with it, and sunk itself into one of the black walls of the cathedrals.

"Solvite," Harry commanded in Latin as he turned and calmly stalked back down the aisle towards the cathedral's doors. This was another little trick that Harry had planned during the two years he had been in service to the gods. He had never truly planned on using it, indeed he had hoped that he would never even have to consider it, but the things he had found in the minds of the people of this city… such revolting things. The things these citizens put up with, the things they tolerated, made Harry sick to his stomach.

The minute the word left Harry's mouth, Bhuailteoir reacted. It started sucking in both the light and darkness, absorbing the energy from both opposing forces. The black diamond in the swords pummel began to visibly pulse with power and the remaining soldiers in the room looked at it in wonder and fear. The body that was pinned against the wall slowly disintegrated with the force of energy radiating from the powerful blade. The stone wall of the cathedral began to crack and split apart. The giant pipes that allowed the entire city to hear the insidious songs of the warped religion began to sing a new song, a song of warning; a song of death.

The cracks in the wall spread farther and farther. The building began to quake and grumble. The soldiers began to scatter in fear as fire erupted from the cracks and giant slabs of stone started to fall from the high ceiling. Harry was oblivious to it all or he appeared to anyways. He just calmly walked towards and then out of the doors. He continued walking until a line of soldiers, who had noticed his drawn sword, stopped him. They demanded that he relinquish his weapon and immediately surrender but Harry just stood there staring at them.

Seconds later the cathedral collapsed in on itself causing shock to spread among the nearby faces. That was nothing though compared to what happened next. The stone pile that had once been a hideously beautiful building dissolved into nothing as Bhuailteoir continued to suck in the power it needed. The blade kicked up the wind as it rose into the sky and started to spin. Faster and faster it spun, much in the way the halo had done mere hours before. Fire erupted from the heart of the whirling tornado, turning a simple beauty into a deadly force.

When there was nothing but a pillar of spinning fire in the heart of the city, Bhuailteoir slammed down into the earth and released in full its absorbed energy. A shock wave of enormous proportions pulsed from where the sword had struck the earth, spreading the fire tornado everywhere. Every building in the city had been eradicated but the wave didn't stop there. It traveled all the way to Helgrind and, with seeming ease, leveled all four peaks. In a matter of moments, Dras Leona was nothing more than a scorch mark next to Leona Lake and Helgrind a pile of pebbles. When the smoke cleared enough to see, it was obvious that nothing was left. No trinkets or baubles, no family heirlooms, not even charred wood from the homes. Dras Leona had been destroyed in every single way.

"Your lives have been spared," Harry called loudly to every human that stood where they had been before their city had been eradicated. He held our his right hand and Bhuailteoir came flying out of the ground and came to rest in his outstretched hand. "Galbatorix will be eliminated. I suggest you choose your allegiances wisely. You've been warned."

Harry stalked forward and vanished into the shadows created by the clouds of dust and smoke. He reappeared on the other side in Nasuada's tent, where everyone had gathered in an emergency council to discuss how Harry had disappeared and who would've had the means to do so. He didn't stop to sooth the feathers of the people he had startled and he completely ignored the weapons that had immediately been trained on him. Instead, he started pacing back and forth in front of Scáth, who had his head stuck in through one of the flaps of the tent just like the other two dragons. It was obvious he was agitated and as he still had his swords in his hands, no one wanted to approach him.

"Harry," Remus finally dared after watching the youth pace agitatedly for several minutes.

"They had to know," Harry declared suddenly as he slammed his weapons into their sheaths and crossed his arms over his chest, never once missing a beat in his pacing. "After all, how could they not?"

"What are you talking about Harry?" Hermione questioned, relaxing a little bit more when Harry's agitation seemed to wane slightly and no longer looked ready to slay anyone who crossed his path.

"The gods!" Harry said almost hysterically, emphatically thrusting out his hands with his fingers curled as if he were about to choke someone. "The gods! They had to have known what would happen, otherwise why would they sentence me like that, forcing me to spend two years making preparations when I wasn't tending to Riddle's soul, which in all actuality wasn't that difficult."

"Harry you're not–" Hermione's words were cut off as Harry continued ranting.

"I mean seriously," Harry said, his voice returning to a more reasonable level as he once more crossed his arms. "Riddle mangled his soul, which would fall under the category of the manipulation of a human's soul, so why sentence me and not him unless they had other motives."

_Harry! _Scáth said firmly and with a snap of his jaws as Harry made another pass in front of him. _Even _I _am having trouble following your thoughts._

"Sorry," Harry said as he finally stopped his pacing and took a deep breath. Not bothering to hide anything, Harry waved his hand and conjured yet another mirror and once again brought forth an image of Oromis, Arya, and Islanzadí. "My point was," he continued before activating the alteration to the spell to allow two-way communication. The three on the other end were having an apparently heated conversation and Harry didn't wish to interrupt. "It is my belief that the gods sentenced me the way they did simply to keep me there and gave me plenty of time to prepare and come up with several little tricks and surprises for the Empire before returning to the war."

"What do you mean sentenced?" Eragon questioned in confusion as Harry finally altered his spell to allow two-way communication when the argument between elves seemed to have ended.

"When I returned to my home world I ended the war there in two days," Harry said bluntly, seeing no reason to hide the fact that he was a stranger to this land any further. His nativity would become suspect anyways in a few minutes. "I would have returned then if it hadn't been for the fact that roughly fifteen figures shrouded in white light froze all of space and time and sentenced me to being the keeper of Riddle's soul for two years as punishment for using the ancient language to manipulate that same soul." He paused briefly as he started pacing again, only more controlled this time. "I don't understand why they did this when Riddle had mangled his own soul in an attempt to gain immortality. The only reason I can think of as to why they did this was that they were, in their own weird way, attempting to aide in _this _war. They were trying to make sure I took the time to prepare."

"Harry," Oromis said after a few moments of thoughts. "What you're saying is impossible."

"Ah ah ah ah," Harry said raising a finger at the aged elf, who looked slightly offended at the action. "I understand the elves beliefs, or lack thereof, but I have the memories to prove it. I had been just as atheistic as any elf but this wasn't just a random, drug-induced hallucination. This was a deliberate intervention by divine beings that gave me plenty of time to find, alter, and prepare a spell that I just used to completely level Dras Leona and Helgrind when priests of that hideously disgusting religion kidnapped me and attempted to sacrifice me to two Ra'zac hatchlings."

"You leveled an entire city?" Nasuada questioned in shock. "On your own?"

In response, Harry uttered another spell of scrying. The mirror he was using split in half and displayed a new scene while keeping the contact with the elves. The new scene showed an aerial view of Leona Lake. On the eastern edge was a huge scorch mark that marked the place where Dras Leona once stood. A few miles south was a massive pile of pebbles that marked the remains of Helgrind. In between both was a large line of people that were heading south along the edges of the lake, likely heading towards Belatona, the nearest city that could offer any sort of support for them.

"Other than the priests," Harry said a few minutes later after he ended the second spell. "Everyone is still alive, even the animals. The spell I used was originally designed to destroy whatever it was directed at but I managed to alter it and change it so it would only destroy nonliving things. The fact that it destroyed everything was simply a result of the amount of power behind the spell."

"You have that much power?" Hermione questioned in shock. She didn't think anyone had that much power, not even Voldemort or Dumbledore.

"No," Harry said with a snort of amusement. "Part of my alteration to the spell was that it took its power from magic itself, with the caster as the governor so it didn't simply eradicate all life on the planet."

"We really must have a chat when this is all over," Oromis said with a wistful look in his eyes. It was very clear that the old elf wanted nothing more than to learn the complexities of Harry's type of magic.

"As you wish," Harry said with an indulgent smile on his face. He then waited patiently while Oromis endured one of his many seizures. When the elf had collected himself, Harry continued on. "Back to the war though, we have a window on our hands that is rapidly closing."

"The memory wipe you performed on Galbatorix," Nasuada said, rejoining the conversation.

"You said you made him forget every word in the Ancient Language?" Arya questioned as she recalled the brief conversation that had stunned her, her mother, and Oromis beyond words only that morning. When Harry nodded, she continued. "Then he would be no more than a man who rides a dragon. If we could take advantage of this, our biggest threat would be Shruikan."

"My thoughts exactly," Harry said but continued before anyone could get too hopeful. "However, there is the problem of getting to Urû'baen before he remembers everything. Scáth and I could easily get to the city in a matter of moments but even with his lack of information regarding gramarye we would be sorely out matched. The five of us," he gestured at the other Rider's. "Would have a decent chance, more than decent actually, of taking him and Shruikan down but he no doubt has little pet magicians all around him that would come to his aid. We need the force of the Elves and the Varden there to distract his forces while we take him down."

"With Dras Leona eliminated, we no longer have to worry about guarding our backs," Nasuada said as she unfurled a map on top of the large table that took up most of the tent. "Belatona would still be at our backs but they have to cross The Jiet, which would slow them greatly. The same goes for Feinster. Even if we left this very moment we would not reach Urû'baen for at least a month, if not more, especially since we would have to take the time to either skirt or take Melian. It is too small to pose a huge threat but they could still be troublesome if we left them unchecked."

"One of the numerous problems when it comes to trying to take advantage of this window," Harry said with a sigh as he started pacing back and forth. "I have a feeling that we won't be able to take advantage of this window at all and all I've done is bought us some time in which to further our strides towards taking the Empire."

"If your spell is not permanent and already fading," Oromis said with a thoughtful frown on his face. "Then I would have to agree with that assessment. Our best course of action would be to act as if Galbatorix is still acting at full capacity."

"I believe that is best," Nasuada said with a nod. She was about to say something else but stopped as she and everyone else gasped aloud and fell to their knees.

_Who freed us? We are free. Free we are. Why? _The sound of a thousand different voices echoed within their minds, even the well shielded minds like Nasuada's. _Who? You! _They all said, focusing in on Harry, who was only partially shielded by the Eldunarí around his neck. _We see the memories. You freed us. We are grateful. Grateful we are. Freedom we have. Why?_

_Because it was right,_ Harry responded in the ancient language and with a painful whimper. The power behind the voices, who were obviously the Eldunarí that had woken from the slumber that Harry had placed them in. _And because it would weaken the Black King. With you out of the way, his defeat would come at a lesser price._

_Grateful we are,_ they said, their voices resounding painfully. _Magic we feel. Gift we give. Concern we see. Control we shall grant. _Remus was suddenly engulfed in a soft, multicolored glow. He gasped and curled in on himself. It seemed longer but in reality it only lasted a few seconds. _He is cursed but it is his curse now. Thank you! _With that the voices left everyone, leaving behind an almost painful silence.

"What was that?" Nasuada questioned as she struggled back to her feet.

"The Eldunarí," Harry said, still lying on the ground panting. His mind was still recovering from such an ordeal and trying to figure out just what the Eldunarí had done to Remus, who was lying on the ground almost completely unresponsive. "They broke the sleeping spell I placed on them. They were, evidently, very grateful for what I had done."

"What did they mean when they said that the curse was his now?" Eragon questioned as he looked over to Remus, who was finally starting to move.

"It is a private matter that only he may discuss should he choose to do so," Harry said as he managed to get to his feet. He looked briefly to Scáth to make sure he was alright. Being a dragon though, Scáth was much more capable of handling the mental intrusion of his own kind. "Are you alright?" He asked, directing the question to Remus.

"I think so," Remus said as he shifted to lay on his back. "Just let me get back to you on that."

"So," Harry said with a smirk at Remus' comment. "Where were we before we were once again interrupted?"

"I was agreeing with Oromis," Nasuada said as she sat down in her seat, rather miffed at being brought to her knees in such a fashion. "We will cross the Jiet River tomorrow since it is already approaching sunset. I suggest you all go and rest. Today has been one very busy day."

"Harry," Oromis called as everyone else filed out.

"Yes Ebrithil?" Harry said as he approached the mirror.

"If you plan on continuing to use your type of magic openly I suggest you guard your back more carefully," Oromis cautioned with a concerned expression on his normally reserved face. "You were not informed but Galbatorix has spies everywhere. Whether he remembers or not right now, he will likely have ordered his pet magicians to target you as you, right now, are one of his biggest threats and it is quite possible that they will target your friends in order to get to you."

"Thank you, Ebrithil," Harry said with a deep and respectful bow. "I will take extra precautions."

With that, Harry ended the scrying spell and left the tent, following the same path his friends did towards his tent. Once there, he collapsed heavily into one of the armchairs, allowing his resolve to drain. The stress of the past several weeks finally caught up with him and he just sat there trying ignore his sore muscles. After a few minutes, he built up the strength to move and started removing his armor. Hermione and Remus were off in their own sections of the tent, likely cleaning up and removing all the sweat and grime that had built up on their bodies during the few hours of fighting they had participated in before Harry captured all the soldiers.

"So," Harry said when Remus came out into the main living area, clean and refreshed. "Do we know anything of what the Eldunarí did towards your affliction?"

"As far as I can tell, nothing," Remus said as he sat down in a chair next to Harry's. "I can still feel the wolf in the back of my head like always. However, it seems... calmer almost. It doesn't seem to be quite as bloodthirsty as it has once been."

"Well, I suppose we'll see later when the moon rises." Harry said as he wearily rubbed his face. Tonight was the fool moon and they were all preparing for what Remus might go through with his curse in this strange new world but since none of them knew how Remus would be affected here on a night of the full moon they could only do the best they could. The Eldunarí had just complicated the issue.

"Harry?" Someone called from outside their tent as a knock sounded on the frame. Harry recognized Murtagh's voice and immediately bade him entrance. "I just came to see how you all were doing considering everything that's happened today."

"Yes, it has been a rather busy day today hasn't it?" Harry mused with a heavy sigh as he gestured for Murtagh to come in and take a seat next to him. "It's hard to imagine that so much can happen in one single day."

"Unfortunately, that is war." Remus said with a sigh of his own. His skin was itching though oddly not as madly as it usually did on a night of a full moon.

"It's almost night fall." Hermione said as she cast a tempus spell to check the time. "I'll go help Remus prepare."

"Call if you need anything!" Harry called to the two retreating forms who acknowledge his words with a backwards wave of their hands.

"What, if I may, are they preparing for?" Murtagh questioned hesitantly, turning his attention to Harry.

"Remus was cursed when he was a young boy, five I think." Harry started explaining, rubbing his forehead in weariness before conjuring some tea, hoping the caffeine would wake him up a little. He would not rest comfortably until he knew what was going on with Remus. "Every month on the full moon he is forced to endure a transformation that turns him into a ravenous beast consumed with bloodlust. Over time a potion was developed that allowed him to retain his human mind on nights of the full moon. We have no idea how his curse will react while he is in this world and the Eldunarí have only given us more questions than answers."

"It sounds like he has led a difficult life." Murtagh said with sympathy leaking into his voice.

"We all have." Harry replied with a slight scowl before it vanished.

Before he could say anything else, Harry was stunned into silence as he found his lips suddenly occupied by the very lips he had dreamed about and missed for two years. Sighing in bliss through his nose, not daring or wanting to break the kiss, Harry raised his hands to wrap around the other boy, one going high enough to tangle in Murtagh's thick, long brown hair. A slight yank of his arms had the other boy in his lap with a slight squeak of surprise. Harry smiled into the kiss, finding the squeak immensely adorable. He pulled back briefly to gaze into the steel grey eyes that he found himself falling so deeply for before he captured those delicious lips once again. Not once did either of them notice when Hermione came back from deeper in the tent intent on asking Harry something but freezing when she saw what the two were doing. A slight blush marred her cheeks even as she smiled before she quietly retraced her steps.

Distantly, Harry felt Scáth close their connection enough to give the two Riders privacy but still not completely closing it. Harry also distantly felt that Scáth was busy with enjoying the presence of his own crush in Fëon, though not as physically as Harry and Murtagh were currently getting. Harry felt his blood heat up in passion when Murtagh gasped when Harry slipped a hand under the other boy's shirt to run his hand along the bare skin and well-toned body. Feeling that things were about to get a little explicit, Harry surged to his feet with Murtagh in his arms, causing the other boy to squeak once again. Thinking that the other boy was going to be squeaking for the rest of his life if he squeaked again, Harry moved them into the bedroom he had claimed as his earlier.

Laying them both down on the full sized bed, Harry divested Murtagh of his shirt so he could have full access to that sculpted torso. He removed his own shirt when Murtagh's hands complained and fidgeted with his garment. Harry ran a thumb over one of Murtagh's beautiful, quarter sized and aroused nipples and the other boy arched, gasping in unexpected pleasure. Smirking deviously, Harry latched his mouth onto the sensitive nipple and began teasing the boy beneath him, using his hand to toy with the other nipple. It did not take long for Murtagh to become a writhing mass, so far gone in the haze of lust and pleasure that he did not notice Harry's hand moving until it had suddenly slipped beneath the waist line of his pants and gripped his erect member with a calloused yet soft touch.

An unconscious spell from Harry had them both completely naked. The green eyed teen slowly started kissing his way down Murtagh's stomach, occasionally lingering long enough to leave a few love bites, until he surprised Murtagh for the hundredth time by taking almost all of the boy's seven leaking inches into his mouth. Murtagh let out a chest deep moan that reverberated through Harry's chest. Harry knew the other boy was quite possibly close to releasing so he took things slow and light, making sure not to tease the head too much.

Letting Murtagh fall out of his mouth, Harry mouthed his way down the shaft until he reached the base on the underside and began nursing that area. Moving them into a slightly more convenient position with him resting between Murtagh's spread legs; Harry silently lubricated one of his fingers with his own spit before moving it to Murtagh's entrance and gently slipping it in. Neither teen had any experience under their belt, though Harry had fantasized quite a lot, so Murtagh had not been expecting the intrusion at any point, or even what Harry was doing. However, he was so lost in the haze of pleasure Harry had induced in him that the only thing he could do was fist his hands in Harry's hair.

When Harry had worked three of his fingers into the other boy, he stopped his ministrations and moved up to capture those moaning lips once again. He moved his hips a few times to make their members rub against each other, causing pleasure to race through both of their systems. When he could not take the teasing any longer, Harry took one hand and positioned himself before pushing forward gently, entering Murtagh. Harry gasped in pleasure as warmth enveloped his member, nearly causing him to climax right there and Murtagh gasped in a combination of shock, pleasure, and pain.

"Harry." Murtagh moaned, his conflicting sensations showing in his face and voice.

"Ok?" Harry questioned, surprised he could manage even that.

Murtagh's response was to press their lips together in a fierce kiss while raising his legs to wrap around Harry's back and waist. Before he had even finished pushing all the way into Murtagh, Harry pulled back and then pushed back in, starting out slow and sensuous but quickly building up momentum. Air seemed to become an unnecessary commodity as the two moaned in time with Harry's thrust. The occasional slap could be heard when Harry slammed forward all the way before quickly pulling back again.

On one of Harry's thrusts Murtagh broke their kiss as he gasped and arched in shock and unprecedented pleasure. Harry was not sure what he did but he aimed to do it again, loving the look that had taken up residence on Murtagh's face. It took him a few tries of angling himself right before he found the spot again and Murtagh arched again, this time moaning. Again and again Harry hit that spot, sending them both to higher heights as Murtagh twitched uncontrollably in pleasure. Before long, they were both crying out as they spilled their seed with the force of a freight train. Murtagh's had such velocity behind it that it managed to hit the underside of Harry's chin and coating both of their chests in the sticky fluid.

When they were both spent, Harry collapsed on top of Murtagh, panting in exhaustion and contentedness just like Murtagh. Sleep tried to take him then and there but he fought it off long enough to roll off Murtagh and cast a cleaning spell on them both before covering them with the blankets. As sleep took them both, Harry pulled Murtagh close to his chest and nuzzled down into the other boy's neck.


End file.
